Medvedev Aims to Regain Disruptor Status at Australian Open 2025

MELBOURNE, Australia — Daniil Medvedev, the world No. 5 tennis player, is determined to reclaim his status as a disruptor in men’s tennis as he prepares for his ninth Australian Open campaign. The 28-year-old Russian, who famously denied Novak Djokovic a calendar-year Grand Slam at the 2021 US Open, has faced challenges in recent seasons, including a trophy-less 2024 and losses to rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Medvedev, a three-time Australian Open finalist, reflected on his recent struggles during a press conference Friday. “I didn’t manage last year, except the Australian Open, I was less of a disruptor because Carlos and Jannik were beating me a lot of times,” he said. “A lot of tournaments I was getting to the good stages but not able to beat them.”

The Russian arrives in Melbourne with renewed focus and personal joy after announcing the birth of his second child just days before traveling to Australia. “I feel in a great place. Very happy,” Medvedev said, beaming about the new addition to his family with wife Daria, which includes their two-year-old daughter Alisa.

Despite falling outside the world’s top four in 2024, Medvedev remains philosophical about his ranking. “Ranking is important because it literally shows how did you do this year,” he said. “I think it shows that I was not at my best last year, because some years I finished higher and other guys were better than me.”

Medvedev, who peaked at world No. 1 in early 2022, emphasized that he doesn’t chase rankings but focuses on performance. “I try to do my best, and the ranking will show it,” he said. “I need to do better to be higher ranked.”

The Russian enters the tournament without any warm-up matches, a decision he made intentionally. “Last year I made the same [schedule], no tournaments,” Medvedev explained, describing his five-week pre-season as one of his best training periods. He also highlighted the importance of spending time with his growing family during the holiday season.

Medvedev will begin his Australian Open campaign against 414th-ranked Kasidit Samrej of Thailand, a wildcard entrant. Despite the lack of match play, the experienced campaigner remains confident. “I think we’re going to see a lot of interesting things from me, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.