MATCH POINT

Russian tennis ace Daniil Medvedev, ranked as World No. 2, on his rules of the game...

- JORDAN RIEFE

For a while, Daniil Medvedev was the tennis pro fans loved to hate. But in recent months he’s becoming the player they love to love. After bawling out the ref and then egging on booing fans at the 2019 US Open, Medvedev fought a gruelling final lasting nearly five hours against a fading Rafael Nadal, but lost in five sets. He bounced back winning a second consecutive title at the Shanghai Masters, becoming the seventh male player since 2000 to reach nine or more ATP finals in a season. With momentum building, he battled through to the finals at the 2020 Australian Open but lost to Novak Djokovic who was on his way to overtaking Federer an d Nadal to become the man with the most Grand Slam titles ever. But a funny thing happened on the way to Forest Hills; Medvedev employed a wide arsenal of razor-sharp skills and steely tenacity that dashed Djokovic’s Grand Slam dreams at last year’s US Open.

Russian-born Medvedev lives with his actress-model wife Daria in Monaco, playground of the rich and famous. A brand ambassador for venerable Swiss watchmaker Bovet 1833 (in addition to endorsement deals with the likes of BMW and Lacoste, among others), he’s got the beautiful timepiece, luxurious digs, gorgeous wife — and soon enough, more gleaming trophies to add to his crowded mantel. Here, the World No. 2-ranked tennis star tells us about the turbulent past and the promising year ahead.

You lost to Djokovic in Australia, but had that incredible victory at the 2021 US Open. What does that do for your confidence?