Daniil Medvedev has sent a bleak message to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as he continues his quest to rediscover his form.
The Russian was once touted as the next big champion in tennis. In 2022, Medvedev became the first man outside the Big Four to reach world No. 1 in 18 years.
But Medvedev has now been overtaken by younger rivals like Sinner and Alcaraz, who have both topped the rankings and now have more Grand Slam titles.
Medvedev is one of just two men born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title, the other being Dominic Thiem. The world No. 8 has a 1-5 record in Major finals, with his lone win coming at the 2021 US Open.
Along with the likes of Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas – who have lost all their Grand Slam finals – the 29-year-old has become part of a middle-ground generation surpassed by Sinner and Alcaraz.
The two 2000s-born stars have seven Majors between them and a combined 72 weeks as world No. 1.
As they continue to progress, Medvedev has fallen into a slump, suffering back-to-back second-round exits in his first two tournaments this year.
While the former world No. 1 believes Sinner and Alcaraz are great champions, he has now sent them a gloomy reminder that their success won’t always be guaranteed.
“We have seen a lot of things in the history of tennis, so I don’t think there are any certainties,” he said while competing in the Open 13 Marseille.
“Sinner and Alcaraz, at the moment, look like they are going to win a lot of Grand Slams, that’s for sure. How many each? We don’t know.”
Asked whether the young stars could win more Major titles than their rivals, Medvedev added: “It’s very possible and they’re on the right track, but in tennis you never know.
“Injuries… There are too many things that can happen. The most important thing for me, and for the others too because they are great players, is that you keep going, play, fight and you’ll have opportunities.”
Medvedev also believes that he and his 1990s-born counterparts can still win the biggest titles. “Zverev was already in a final against Alcaraz, he could have won Roland Garros,” he explained.
“Against Sinner at the Australian Open it was not so easy in terms of the score, but a match is always a match and he could do it next time if he has the chance.
“It’s the same with [Taylor] Fritz, he was already in a final. Tsitsipas on all surfaces, but especially on clay. I think at Roland Garros he is always a big favourite. Casper [Ruud] the same at Roland Garros. I think all of them can win a Grand Slam and so can I.”
For now, Medvedev will be focused on clinching the title at the ATP 250 event in Marseille. A former champion in 2021, he has never won the same tournament twice and could end that streak this week.
