Medvedev: Three Key Factors That Made A No. 1
Medvedev: Three Key Factors That Made A No. 1
After a remarkable 12 months, Daniil Medvedev has arrived at the top of the ATP Rankings.
The Russian had to battle to finally end Novak Djokovic’s reign as No. 1. The Infosys ATP Performance Zone takes a look at three foundational pillars of Medvedev’s rise.
Hard-Court Dominance
Medvedev’s hard-court form has been the backbone of his rise to the top of the ATP Rankings. The Russian, who has won 12 of his 13 tour-level titles on hard courts, holds a 53-10 record on the surface over the past 52 weeks, making him the Tour’s leading hard-court performer over that period.
Best Winning % On Hard Courts Since March 2021
| Player | W-L Record | Winning % |
| 1) Daniil Medvedev | 53-10 | 84.1% |
| 2) Alexander Zverev | 45-9 | 83.3% |
| 3) Novak Djokovic | 23-5 | 82.1% |
This strong form over the past 52 weeks brought the Russian vital ATP Ranking points as well as three hard-court titles in the 2021 season – the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, his fourth ATP Masters 1000 title at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto, and a maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open.
Rallying To Victory
Fighting back from tough situations has been another staple feature of Medvedev’s stellar year. The Russian has won half of the matches in which he has lost the first set over the past 52 weeks, a rate of recovery that was only bettered by World No. 2 Djokovic.
Best Record After Losing First Set Since March 2021
| Player | W-L Record After Losing 1st Set | Winning % |
| 1) Novak Djokovic | 12-7 | 63.2% |
| 2) Daniil Medvedev | 9-9 | 50% |
| 3) Stefanos Tsitsipas | 9-13 | 40.9% |
Medvedev has pulled off great escapes at crucial moments, too, coming from behind twice in his Toronto title run. His quarter-final comeback against Miami Open presented by Itau champion Hubert Hurkacz was integral to the Russian’s push for World No. 1.
The Pole looked set to stroll to victory as he raced through the first set 6-2, but Medvedev dug deep to clinch the second and third-set tie-breaks to advance despite not breaking his opponent once in the match, going on to lift the trophy and pick up another 1,000 ATP Ranking Points.
Meddy At The Masters
When big ranking points have been on offer, Medvedev has risen to the occasion. He has an 18-6 match record at ATP Masters 1000 events over the past year, a period in which he claimed the title in Toronto, enjoyed a final run at the Rolex Paris Masters and made the semi-finals at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Best ATP Masters 1000 Records Since March 2021
| Player | W-L Record | Winning % |
| 1) Novak Djokovic | 9-2 | 81.8% |
| 2) Rafael Nadal | 9-2 | 81.8% |
| 3) Alexander Zverev | 19-5 | 79.2% |
| 4) Daniil Medvedev | 18-6 | 75% |
The Russian will have to fight to back up these performances at the upcoming BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open presented by Itau because several of his rivals are also in hot Masters 1000 form. Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev sit just ahead of Medvedev in the Masters 1000 performance list over the past 52 weeks, an indication that the Russian will need to stay sharp in the Sunshine Swing to consolidate his reign at No. 1.