Daniil Medvedev closing in on career milestone in Rotterdam

Daniil Medvedev will turn into the primary participant exterior the ‘Large 4’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to assert a top-two spot within the ATP rating since July 2005 if he reaches the ultimate within the ATP 500 occasion in Rotterdam this week.

The in-form Russian has been rising as the largest menace to world No.1 Novak Djokovic over the past six months, with a string of event wins on the again finish of 2020 together with success within the ATP Finals in London.

Regardless that he was no match for the Serbian in final month’s Australian Open last, Medvedev is closing in on a big leap within the ATP rankings that would shake up the sport over the course of this 12 months.

Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been in separate half of the attracts for Grand Slam occasions once they have held the world No.1 and No.2 rankings, however all that would change if  Medvedev breaks the stranglehold of the lads who’ve dominated the sport for a decade and extra.

Medvedev will start his marketing campaign in Rotterdam towards Dusan Lajovic, and will face Felix Auger-Aliassime within the quarter-finals, earlier than assembly Alexander Zverev or Roberto Bautista Agut within the semi-finals with world No.2 rating on the road.

If Medvedev makes the ultimate, he’ll add 300 ATP Rating factors to his whole, which might substitute the 90 factors the 25-year-old earned in Vienna final 12 months. The online acquire of 210 factors would propel the Russian forward of Nadal, who at present leads him by 115 factors.

Lleyton Hewitt was the final participant to carry one of many prime two positions within the ATP rankings aside from Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Murray, with the Aussie in that place virtually 16 years in the past.

The Rotterdam event is loaded with high-quality gamers this week, with Medvedev joined by Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Gael Monfils, Roberto Bautista Agut, Milos Raonic, David Goffin, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Stan Wawrinka, Karen Khachanov and Andy Murray for a star-studded tournament.

Rafael Nadal was additionally due to participate, however he pulled out of the tournament last week with a again downside.

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