Daniil Medvedev has backed rival Carlos Alcaraz to conclude 2023 season with the year-end #1 crown but also revealed his intention to vie for the top spot at the beginning of 2024.
The 2021 US Open champion believes it is “logical that Spaniard will finish his 2023 campaign as #1 in the world over Djokovic who is scheduled to play less than the Murcia-native.
Medvedev currently sits at #3 position (7,280 points) and one spot ahead of him is Alcaraz with 8,535 ranking points and both trail Novak Djokovic who after the US Open became World No. 1 and currently leads the duo with 11,795 points to enjoy the top rank. In the ATP Live Race to Turin, Alcaraz is 770 behinds Djokovic while Medvedev is separated by 2,355 points.
While both Medvedev and Alcaraz are competing at the Beijing open and are set to participate in the Shanghai Masters next month, Djokovic, the top guy on the leaderboard has opted out of the Asian hardcourt swing to rest and refresh.
The 24-time major champion also has a lot of points to defend from the end of 2022 season as he sealed championships in Tel Aviv, Astana and was a runner-up at the Paris Bercy ATP Masters 1000. He also won all five matches during his victorious run at the 2022 ATP Finals.
Djokovic overcame Medvedev in straight sets in the final of 2023 US Open earlier in September and regained the prestigious #1 crown. Medvedev downed defending US Open champion in semis after a four set battle.
Speaking at the China Open, the 27-year-old discussed the fight for the top spot as he revealed his ambitions at the conclusion of 2023 season.
“Everywhere I go, I seek to become champion, so the dream of being No 1 remains alive. But I know I am very far away and that my fight must be more about trying to finish in the top 2 and staying close to the top to be able to attack it at the beginning of 2024,” said the Russian in a press conference.
“I don’t think Novak will play too many tournaments, so logic indicates that Carlos would have to finish as No 1 at the end of the year. I will give the best of myself in all the tournaments that I will play.”
The world No. 3 also discussed the challenge of assessing how long a break to take after the crushing 2023 US Open loss before entering the practice courts.
“I went eight days without training and then I came back little by little to do more and more demanding training sessions,” explained Medvedev.
“In tennis it is difficult to stop, if you want to always be 100% you cannot take more than one or two days of rest, but if you do this you run the risk of being exhausted in a short time. We have to find a balance.”
Medvedev has breezed through the initial rounds and reached the quarters of the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing as he registered straight-set victories over American Tommy Paul and Australian Alex De Minaur. The #2 seed at Beijing hardcourts will face the winner of Andrey Rublev vs Ugo Humbert in the final eight.