The decisive return of the former world number 1
- TIM ESSONNE
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
From fall to summit, the show must go on…
After a significant drop in the rankings in 2025, Russian Daniil Medvedev did not give up and shone in Brisbane (ATP 250) by winning his 22nd ATP title.
The Russian had participated in the Tim Essonne tournament in 2009, where he reached the quarterfinals. He joined the professional circuit in 2016 and won his first ATP title in 2018, defeating Alex De Minaur in three sets (1-6, 6-4, 7-5). His career then took off the following year, in 2019: he broke into the world's top 5, notably winning two Masters 1000 titles and reaching six consecutive finals, including a US Open final.
Blanca vs Medvedev, Tim Essonne 2nd round
The years 2021 and 2022 were equally important for his career. He notably won his fourth Masters 1000 title and achieved a historic double in the ATP Cup and Davis Cup. But above all, he secured his first Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in three sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4). This victory allowed him to reach the world number one ranking in 2022.
This rise did not stop there, as he reached the symbolic milestone of 20 titles won and 300 career victories in 2023. This meteoric trajectory then experienced a slight slowdown, with fewer titles and a drop to 12th in the world rankings in 2025.
This victory in Brisbane allowed the former Tim Essonne quarter-finalist to regain confidence and get his new season off to an ideal start. He then reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, where he lost to an unstoppable Learner Tien .