Daniil Medvedev's rise to number one: How has he moved ahead of Novak Djokovic and what is next ahead of Indian Wells?

“When you’re young you feel like it’s impossible, so that’s why you dream about it.” For Daniil Medvedev, the dream has become a reality. Ad/> After 18 years of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray monopolising the world No 1 spot on the ATP Tour, there’s a new name atop the rankings. Medvedev has become the third Russian man to reach the summit after Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin, and the 27th different world No.

1 in the history of the ATP Tour. ATP AcapulcoNadal beats Paul to set up Medvedev clash, Norrie and Tsitsipas to meet in semis25/02/2022 AT 10:47 In some ways, it feels like it’s been a long time coming for Medvedev, in other ways not so much. Medvedev was not a hugely successful youngster who seemed destined for the top.

There were no junior Grand Slam titles and his highest junior ranking was world No. 13. As talk of the ‘Next Gen’ started to emerge around five or six years ago, it was Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas who were tipped to take over rather than Medvedev, whose only Next Gen Finals appearance in 2017 saw him miss out on the final after losses to Borna Coric and Chung Hyeon.

Medvedev’s rise to No. 1 has been built on his hard-court skills. In 2018 he decided to take tennis more seriously and with a more professional approach; he finished the year with more wins on hard courts than any other player on tour.

In the summer of 2019 he made the final in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati. He then made his Grand Slam breakthrough at the US Open, reaching the final and losing to Nadal in five sets. A year later, Medvedev made the semi-finals of the US Open, losing to eventual champion Dominic Thiem.