Daniil Medvedev’s 2025 season has gotten off to a rocky start, with a shock defeat to qualifier Mattia Bellucci in the second round of the Rotterdam Open, adding to his early struggles. This continues a trend of disappointing performances for the 28-year-old Russian, who had a difficult time at the Australian Open. In his opening match at Melbourne Park, Medvedev required five sets to get past world No. 418, Kasidit Samrej. His next match was also a battle, but this time it ended in defeat, as 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien, ranked No. 121 at the time, pulled off the biggest win of his career.
Bellucci, ranked No. 92 in the ATP rankings, shares a similar trait with Tien: both are left-handed players. Medvedev, known for his baseline game and defensive skills, has often struggled against lefties, something that former tennis pro and commentator Jimmy Arias pointed out. “He doesn’t like playing lefties,” Arias noted, adding that the issue may be deeper than that. “I think players have finally figured out that you can’t hit through him.” Arias further explained that players are now finding ways to break Medvedev’s defense. “You have to open the court, bring him forward, serve and volley, and players have finally started doing that,” he added.
In fact, Medvedev’s recent record against left-handers suggests that his discomfort with the style is a factor. He holds a 5-4 record against left-handed opponents in the past year on the ATP Tour, while his career record against southpaws stands at 38-22. Yet, the bigger picture shows that Medvedev is struggling overall. He’s managed just a 3-6 record across all tournaments since reaching the quarterfinals at the Shanghai Masters in October 2024. His last title came at the 2023 Italian Open, but since then, he has faced a series of near-misses, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 Australian Open to Jannik Sinner and a loss in the Indian Wells final to Carlos Alcaraz a few months later.
In a bid to turn things around, Medvedev recently made a coaching change, parting ways with Gilles Simon, who had joined his team last year. However, his long-time coach, Gilles Cervara, who has been with Medvedev since 2017, remains in charge.
Despite his early exit in Rotterdam, Medvedev is set to hold on to the No. 7 spot in the ATP rankings for now. However, another string of early losses in upcoming events such as Qatar, Dubai, and Indian Wells could see him drop further. The rise of the younger generation has become evident, with Medvedev now the third oldest player in the ATP Top 25, trailing only Novak Djokovic (37) and Grigor Dimitrov (33).
Medvedev’s early 2025 setbacks indicate that the competition is intensifying, and the Russian will need to adapt if he wants to maintain his place at the top of the sport. With the younger players closing in, time may be running out for him to recapture the form that once made him a dominant force.