The dust had barely even begun to settle on Daniil Medvedev’s third title win in three weeks before his thoughts turned to the next challenge. After dismissing Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-2 to add the Dubai crown to the trophies he won in Rotterdam and Doha last month, Medvedev marched up to a TV camera lens and wrote “Not over yet.”
With two of the season’s biggest events looming in Indian Wells and Miami, it is a message his rivals would probably do well to heed. After 14 straight wins and a tour-leading 19 victories overall this year, Medvedev has emerged as the man to beat.
The Russian’s latest title success was achieved without dropping a set and, having ended Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten start to the season in the semi-finals, he extinguished Rublev’s challenge in merciless fashion. Dominant on his own serve, he did not face a single break point throughout, winning 83% of points behind his first delivery. Relentless off the return, he secured the first of four breaks as early as the opening game, leaving Rublev crying out in frustration. Medvedev reserved the most severe punishment for his countryman’s second serve, limiting him to just 29% of those points as Rublev, the defending champion, was outclassed in every department.
Even so, Medvedev is taking nothing for granted.
“I don’t think I ever won three tournaments in a row,” said Medvedev. “I was one time [in] six finals in a row. I won three of them, and only two in a row. Great.
“[Its’s] especially amazing because, as I say, tennis is weeks, weeks, weeks after weeks. For example, if I lose [in] Indian Wells early, I [will] probably straightaway lose the confidence.”
Improbable as that scenario may seem, Medvedev has not forgotten the crisis of confidence he suffered in the aftermath of his early exit against Sebastian Korda at January’s Australian Open. That defeat, said the 27-year-old, proved the unlikely catalyst for his current winning streak.
“I was feeling bad,” said Medvedev. “I was doubting myself before Rotterdam. I was not feeling good at all.
“I went to one of the Russian guys [as I was] getting ready for my match with [Alejandro] Davidovich Fokina. I won’t tell you who it is. I was like, ‘C’mon man, tell me how to win a match.’ He was like, ‘You know better than me.’ I was like, ‘No, I don’t know anything at the moment.’
“Now, after every tournament, he’s texting me, ‘Is it okay now?’ I feel ashamed. But that’s how tennis is. I managed to keep some confidence going, and I’m really happy about it.”