What About Daniil Medvedev is Underrated? My Attacking Game, Says the Russian

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday April 2, 2023

A couple of weeks in the past, when he was requested to talk about what made Daniil Medvedev such a tricky problem, Carlos Alcaraz began with a easy however efficient description: “He’s a wall,” he mentioned.

It’s true, little doubt. Medvedev has developed a repute for being an extremely savvy defender, one which constantly befuddles his opponents together with his courtroom protection and courtroom place. However being a wall isn’t the one factor that Daniil Medvedev does nicely. You don’t grow to be one of many world’s finest hard-courters doing only one factor.

Requested to clarify what he felt was underrated about his recreation, the newly minted Miami champion informed reporters that his capability for aggression typically will get neglected.

“I’d say in a means my attacking expertise [are underrated], as a result of I do know that I am good in protection, and particularly on the return video games, I will be typically defensive and there are some factors I win sort of by simply placing the ball again and making the opponents miss, however on my serve I really feel like I am fairly aggressive on a regular basis,” five-time Masters 1000 champion Medvedev mentioned. “And on the opponent’s serve, typically once I see my good matches, if I make a very good return, then from the place I am at, I am actually quick to go ahead and possibly assault the following one.

“So I feel, yeah, this may very well be just a little bit underrated in my recreation, the attacking expertise I’ve.”

Little doubt about it. Medvedev isn’t a one-trick pony. He cleverly works factors with the intention to exploit his benefits. He transitions from protection to impartial to offense and again seamlessly and retains his opponents guessing all of the whereas. And when he’s serving he will be flat-out disruptive, serving large and clicking on serve-plus-one with the perfect of them.

That’s how he has been capable of win 19 onerous courtroom titles in his profession, and declare 24 of his final 25 selections since February.