Daniil Medvedev, once a towering figure in men’s tennis with a world No. 1 ranking and a 2021 US Open title, is grappling with a crisis that has seen him plummet out of the ATP top 10 for the first time in years. His latest setback, a shocking second-round loss to world No. 73 Adam Walton at the Cincinnati Open on August 11, 2025, has sparked widespread concern about the 29-year-old Russian’s form. Former world No. 1 and American tennis legend Andy Roddick, speaking on his *Served with Andy Roddick* podcast, offered a candid and empathetic verdict on Medvedev’s struggles, praising his past achievements while questioning whether this downturn signals a new normal or a temporary lapse. “If you take a step back, he’s been world number one, a Grand Slam winner, a multiple Grand Slam finalist, a Masters 1000 winner,” Roddick said, emphasizing the Russian’s remarkable career. “This guy is in a transitional era, starting with Rafa, Roger, Novak, and now moving into the early years of Alcaraz’s prime form, maybe not yet at his peak, but at the beginning of it. So, first of all, hats off to him.”
Medvedev’s 2025 season has been a stark contrast to his previous highs. After welcoming his second child just before the Australian Open, he suffered a stunning second-round exit to unranked American Learner Tien. Further defeats to lower-ranked players like Mattia Bellucci, Hamad Medjedovic, and Tallon Griekspoor followed, culminating in a straight-sets loss to Jaume Munar at the Miami Open, where his serve faltered, winning only 62.5% of service games. Roddick pinpointed this as a critical issue, noting, “When you’re holding less than 80% of the time, every ball matters a little bit more.” His analysis highlights a statistical drop in Medvedev’s service game wins, a cornerstone of his game that once allowed him to dominate opponents with his deep-court positioning and relentless defense. “The pressure mechanism on that, versus when you’re rolling through service games… the difference between one and 11 is six or seven percentage points,” Roddick explained, underscoring how small margins have compounded Medvedev’s woes.
The Russian’s struggles continued at the Toronto Masters 1000, where he fell to Alexei Popyrin in a comeback defeat, and in Cincinnati, where Walton capitalized on Medvedev’s 72 unforced errors. “There is no way around the results,” Roddick said, acknowledging the undeniable slump. Yet, he cautioned against writing off Medvedev, warning, “Bet against the greats at your own peril.” Roddick suggested that Medvedev is “searching for something,” possibly a tactical adjustment to counter the fearless play of younger opponents like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have surged ahead in the rankings. “Is he someone who all of a sudden is going to start serving and volleying? No,” Roddick noted, highlighting the challenge of evolving Medvedev’s baseline-heavy game. “Is this the new normal or are we just dealing with an episode of confidence, and maybe some adjustments?”
Medvedev himself has expressed frustration but remains determined to find solutions. After his Citi Open loss in Washington, D.C., he told reporters, “It’s very tough in tennis, because I could find 10 reasons and I would not know which one is the main reason.” He emphasized his team’s efforts to identify areas for improvement, stating, “We sat down with the team: Where can we do things better? What can we change? We discussed some things and I’m going to try and implement it.” His lone final this year came at the Halle Open, where he fell to Alexander Bublik, and his only Grand Slam win was against Kasidit Samrej at the Australian Open. With just one victory in majors this season and a first-round Wimbledon loss to Benjamin Bonzi, Medvedev’s No. 14 ranking reflects a career low point.
Roddick’s perspective is colored by his deep respect for Medvedev’s achievements, including his 20 ATP titles, 2020 ATP Finals win, and six Masters 1000 crowns. “He’s serially underappreciated for what he has done in the game,” Roddick asserted, drawing parallels to his own career, where he faced similar scrutiny despite a US Open title and five Grand Slam finals. As Medvedev heads to the US Open, where he triumphed in 2021 by defeating Novak Djokovic, the tennis world watches to see if he can rediscover his form. Roddick’s final word of caution—“We’re at an inflection point”—captures the stakes: can Medvedev adapt and reclaim his place among the elite, or will this crisis define the twilight of his career?
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