Google News 'There comes a time when you can’t keep up with Novak Djokovic', says star
by SIMONE BRUGNOLI | VIEW 4452
Daniil Medvedev was certainly one of the protagonists of tennis 2021. The Russian started the season by winning the ATP Cup; competition in which he won all four singles matches played. Medvedev then reached the Australian Open final expressing a very high quality tennis.
In the last act of the tournament, however, he found one of the best versions of Novak Djokovic, who won with a resounding 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. The current world number two, after taking home the ATP 250 tournament in Marseille, did not shine during the season on clay but still pushed himself to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros; it was Stefanos Tsitsipas who beat him.
In Mallorca, Medvedev won his first event on grass before falling in the round of 16 at Wimbledon against Hubert Hurkacz. It was once again the American summer that consecrated the Russian, who started with victory at the Masters 1000 in Toronto.
The biggest thrill of his career, however, came at the US Open, when he prevented Djokovic from completing the Grand Slam and finally won his first major. To top it off, the 25-year-old also took home the Davis Cup with his Russia, beating Marin Cilic's Croatia in the final.
Testifying to Medvedev's great growth was the win / loss ratio, which reached 82.9% with a record of 63 wins out of 76 games. Despite these impressive numbers, Medvedev is still far from Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
The Spaniard managed to close 2018 with 91.8% of games won; while the Swiss and the Serbian recorded 91.5% and 89.1% respectively during their best seasons. In 2022, Medvedev will restart from the ATP Cup.
Djokovic had an incredible 2021
In a recent interview with Filo News, World No.
13 Diego Schwartzman opened up about Novak Djokovic's incredible gameplay. The Argentine said he feels as if Djokovic is "controlled by a joystick." “Djokovic is something else, it’s like he’s controlled by a joystick.
It’s very difficult to be able to sustain what he’s doing, the changes of directions. There comes a time when you can’t keep up with him,” said Schwartzman in the interview. “The way he changes directions, at that high level of tennis, the changes in direction are difficult to think about.
The ball is coming at 100 kilometers per hour," added the Argentine. According to Schwartzman, even though Djokovic's style is not as attractive as that of Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, it still "drives you crazy." “Maybe in sight, it doesn’t attract people as much as Rafa or Federer so much. But it drives you crazy, with the joystick in hand,” concluded Schwartzman.