Daniil Medvedev is still grappling with his loss to Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open 2022.
Currently, in the United Arab Emirates to defend his Dubai Tennis Championships title, Medvedev secured a spot in the second round with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Alexander Shevchenko on Tuesday, February 27.
This marked his first triumph on the court since his defeat in the Australian Open 2024 final to Jannik Sinner a month ago. Despite taking a 2-0 lead, Medvedev ultimately succumbed to Sinner in the title clash, with the scoreline reading 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in favor of the Italian.
Notably, Medvedev experienced a similar disappointment in the final of the Melbourne Major two years earlier when he faced Rafael Nadal, who bested him 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
Following his victory over Shevchenko in Dubai, Medvedev engaged in a conversation with the media. When asked if the loss to Nadal in 2022 served as a significant lesson, Medvedev expressed his ongoing disappointment:
“I don’t know, because for sure I’m still disappointed because that one was close. Closer than the Jannik match. Also, mentally with the crowd and this and that. Somewhere in the match I felt like I was there, not that I had to win it, but I was close in my mind,” Medvedev replied” Not sure it’s even a lesson.
I would prefer not to have this lesson. But in life, not everything goes as you prefer. So this happened. I have to go on from it. I would say I hope that it was a lesson and I can take anything from it. Even if not, I just have to forget it and go,” Daniil Medvedev added.
