Andy Roddick has described Daniil Medvedev as the best player who holds one Major title and called hailed the Russian as “a Hall of Famer.”
The American feels Medvedev is “one of the most underappreciated players ever feels that the 2024 Australian Open runner-up is a better player version of himself now than before.
The World No. 3 was handed a 5-set loss by Jannik Sinner in the last week’s Australian Open final and has received plaudits from tennis critics for making another heroic final run at the season-opening slam.
Medvedev set a new record for most hours spent on court a major as he ran and hit for staggering 24 hours and 17 minutes on the Melbourne Hardcourts till the conclusion of championship match. Keeping his head high, he folded his Australian Open campaign with four blockbuster 5-sets performances and two of his wins came from 0-2 in sets.
The 2021 US Open Champion has registered runner-up runs in 5 Grand Slams with his other four defeats coming against Rafael Nadal and Djokovic. Now there is a debate over whether the 27-year-old is the best player to have a single major title over himself, with the former World No. 1 Roddick being the other strong candidate for the accolade. Roddick who lost four Major finals to 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer sealed his only Slam title at the 2003 US Open.
Appearing on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the 32-time ATP tour titlist weighed in on the fresh debate and was all praise for Medvedev.
“I know we always celebrate the winner and people are gonna knock Medvedev for being up two sets [and he] let it go – that’s trash if you do that. Because that’s in no way representative of what he did this entire tournament and what frankly he’s done for five or six years,” the American said.
“One of the most underappreciated players ever. And I’ll throw myself under the bus on this one. Twitter the other day, there’s some conversation going and I get looped in and they’re going, someone said, ‘Medvedev’s the best player ever that has one Slam.’ And I was the answer of the counter.
“And I’ll just tell everyone right now, he’s better than I ever was. He has 20-something-odd titles. He’s won however many Masters Series events, one World Tour Finals, has been No 1 in the world, oh by the way – beat Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam final.
“[He] Has put himself there, I mean he’s been in back-to-back Grand Slam finals. This guy is better. If anyone calls him a ‘one Slam wonder’, they’re idiots and don’t know what they’re talking about.”
The American expanded his take on Medvedev’s marathon run in Melbourne and shared on his thoughts on how we will respond to demoralizing loss in his Betway column.
“We’re rightfully celebrating Sinner, but Medvedev is a badass. He has nothing to hang his head about and left everything in Melbourne. It doesn’t really matter how great your fitness level is – that cumulative effect of time on court is eventually going to add up,” the legendary server explained.
“His superpower is playing extended rallies and asking the question over and over: ‘Can you punch me out over time?’ He plays the most effective version of tennis that he’s capable of and it has gotten some amazing results.
“This is his sixth major final now and I don’t feel like we give him enough credit. I’ve never left a final watching Medvedev and thought he’s blown it or given it away. He makes someone earn it every single time.
“He’s played Rafa twice, Novak twice and an in-form Sinner. It’s just the way it goes. I lost four finals and won one. Sometimes you just come up against someone better on the day.
“We’re acting like this one’s going to be the thing that breaks him, but he’s done it before and has come back extraordinarily. I’m not worried about him showing up and being at the business end of every hardcourt Slam over the next couple of years and, personally, I’d love to see him win another one.
“He has beaten all the best players on the biggest stages and is no doubt a Hall of Famer in his own right.”