MIAMI • Tennis’ new world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev said he is feeling no extra pressure after rising to his career-best ranking last week but the Russian wants to prove to himself that he deserves the lofty slot by playing well in Miami.
The 25-year-old replaced Rafael Nadal as No. 2 last week, becoming the first player besides the Spaniard, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to be ranked in the top two since Lleyton Hewitt in July 2005.
Medvedev is leading the men’s draw at the ongoing Masters 1000 event in Miami after top-ranked Djokovic pulled out to spend more time with his family. He received a bye in the first round and will open his Miami campaign with a last-64 clash against either American Sam Querrey or Chinese Taipei’s Lu Yen-hsu.
He said on Tuesday: “I could maybe feel pressure, (but) no, I feel like it just gives me some energy boost. I just want to try to play better and better, to prove even just for myself that I deserve this.”
Last month he reached the Australian Open final, his second final at a Grand Slam after the 2019 US Open, on the back of a 20-match winning run that saw him pick up trophies at the Paris Masters, ATP Finals and team-based ATP Cup.
He arrives in Miami fresh from winning his 10th Tour title with victory in Marseille.
Second seed and world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be managing rising expectations in the absence of the “Big Three” of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. US Open champion Dominic Thiem is missing from the field too and will return to the tour during the European clay-court season.
“It is an opportunity, I won’t lie,” said the Greek, who will face either Brazilian Thiago Monteiro or South African Kevin Anderson in his first match.
“But there are plenty of good guys that aren’t in the top five that can play good tennis, as well.”
The women’s draw has also been hit by the withdrawal of 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams as she is recovering from oral surgery.
But world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty went the extra mile to get to Miami, taking a near-50-hour flight to Florida for her title defence. The 24-year-old Australian will face either Hailey Baptiste of the United States or Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova in her opener.
REUTERS
WTA MIAMI OPEN
Day 1, session 2 (7am) & Day 2, session 1 (11pm)
StarHub Ch201
-
1
Daniil Medvedev is the first player outside the foursome of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to be ranked in the top two since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.