As the 2024 ATP calendar comes to a close, the tennis world’s focus shifts to the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where the top eight players of the season compete for year-end honors. Among the competitors is Daniil Medvedev, a former World No. 1 who turned 28 this year. In a recent interview with *Vogue*, Medvedev reflected on his birthday celebrations, sharing a humorous and awkward experience that left him feeling, in his own words, “stupid.”
Medvedev, who was born on February 11, 1996, in Moscow, began his tennis journey at just six years old and debuted on the junior circuit at 13. Standing out due to his lanky frame and unconventional playing style, the Russian defied expectations to establish himself as one of the ATP Tour’s elite in the late 2010s. His defining moment came in 2021, when he captured his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic. Medvedev reached World No. 1 shortly after and has since added 19 ATP Tour-level titles to his name, including six Masters 1000s and a Nitto ATP Finals crown in 2020.
In his conversation with *Vogue*, Medvedev revealed that his most memorable off-court moment of 2024 involved his friends surprising him on his birthday. The gathering took place at a restaurant, and the elaborate nature of the surprise caught Medvedev off guard.
“On my birthday, my friends surprised me by gathering together in a restaurant—but they made it happen that I arrived there a little bit by accident, and among this group, there were different friends, some of whom didn’t know each other,” Medvedev said. “And so I walk in the restaurant thinking we’re just going to be two or three people—and there’s this big table there with a lot of my friends, and I see them one by one, and I get so confused—I’m thinking, like, ‘Wow—what a coincidence he’s there today.’”
The confusion only deepened for Medvedev as more familiar faces emerged. “Then I see another friend at this table, and I didn’t think these two guys knew each other, so I’m like, ‘Wow—what a coincidence! How do these two guys know each other?’ And then when I see the third and fourth friends, I’m finally like, ‘Oh—okay.’ I felt so stupid—it was so awkward and so embarrassing. But that was a highlight of the year for me—of course,” he concluded with a laugh.
While the off-court surprise was lighthearted, Medvedev’s 2024 on-court performances have been more of a roller coaster ride. Although he reached the Australian Open final and made it to the Wimbledon semifinals, inconsistency has plagued him throughout the season, particularly in its latter half. One of his recent disappointments came at the Nitto ATP Finals when he suffered a straight-sets defeat to Taylor Fritz during the Round Robin stage. Medvedev’s frustration boiled over during the match, leading to visible displays of temper, including smashing a racket and repeatedly tossing another, earning boos from the Turin crowd and criticism from fans online.
Medvedev’s candidness extended to his struggles on court in a post-match press conference. The Russian admitted that he has been battling a lack of joy and satisfaction in both practice and competitive matches, a feeling he claims has persisted for several years.
“I have this every day, day in, day out, since like two, three years. Every practice is a struggle. Every match is a struggle. I was holding for a long time. Now I feel zero pleasure of being on the court. So no surprise at all about the match today,” Medvedev said.
The World No. 4 further pointed to changes in tennis balls as a contributing factor to his difficulties. Medvedev, known for his ability to engage in long, grueling rallies, explained that recent ball modifications have benefited heavy hitters like his rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, thereby diminishing his advantage.
“The balls make that everyone can do it [long rallies] now. So not at all surprised [with the loss to Fritz]. As I say, I feel like I’m at a big disadvantage, but I need to do something with it. For the moment, I couldn’t find the exact way, like I can find the way through some matches like Shanghai, Beijing, even the US Open. I can fight my way. I can try to find solutions during the match,” Medvedev elaborated.
Next up for Medvedev at the ATP Finals is a crucial encounter against Alex de Minaur, who also lost his first match against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Both players are in dire need of a victory to keep their tournament hopes alive. For Medvedev, the upcoming clash represents an opportunity to regain his form and prove that, despite his recent struggles, he remains a formidable force on the ATP Tour. Whether he can overcome his frustrations and rediscover his passion for the game remains to be seen, but fans will be watching closely as the Russian attempts to turn his fortunes around.