Daniil Medvedev of Russia lifts the trophy after successful his singles ultimate match in opposition to Dominic Thiem of Austria throughout day eig
Daniil Medvedev of Russia lifts the trophy after successful his singles ultimate match in opposition to Dominic Thiem of Austria throughout day eight of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Enviornment on November 22, 2020 in London, England.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Photographs
Newly topped Nitto ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev informed CNBC that tennis has a cloudy future, with gamers nonetheless not realizing when — or if — the Australian Open will go on as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
Medvedev, who received the extremely prestigious ATP Finals event on Sunday at London’s O2 Enviornment, mentioned loads of uncertainty stays within the sport.
“(It is) robust to speak in regards to the future, as a result of we see with the Australian Open, it is not straightforward at this second. There may be loads of uncertainty and we do not know when we’ll play it, if we’ll play it,” the Males’s world quantity 4 participant CNBC’s Tania Bryer.
“Additionally, each nation is totally different and that is why tennis is more durable, as a result of we play in lots of, many alternative international locations and we come from totally different international locations … however we managed to make a very nice finish of the season.”
The Australian Open is the primary main tennis Grand Slam occasion of the season every year and is at present scheduled to start on Jan. 18.
Some unconfirmed reviews have steered the event could also be pushed again, however in an announcement launched Sunday, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley mentioned he hoped to announce when tickets will go on sale “throughout the subsequent two weeks.”
Medvedev made historical past on Sunday when he defeated the present U.S. Open Champion and world quantity three, Dominic Thiem, to clinch the a lot sought-after title.
Having crushed the world’s quantity one- and two-ranked gamers, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, throughout his journey to the ultimate of the event, he turned the primary participant to beat the world’s high three gamers at an ATP Finals.
The Russian tennis champion mentioned the match was “one of many greatest wins of my profession,” after getting back from a set all the way down to take the title.
The week-long event is held yearly every November and is the finale of the lads’s skilled tennis season. It has been held in London since 2009 however will transfer to Turin, Italy, by 2025.
No spectators is ‘the truth proper now’
With the U.Okay. within the midst of its second nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus disaster, the occasion was held at The O2, behind closed doorways with none spectators.
Requested how totally different it was to play with out an viewers, Medvedev mentioned it was “actually unlucky.”
“I’d like to win on the O2 with the spectators, I am certain it is much more of a particular feeling. Sadly … at virtually the entire event’s we’re taking part in in empty stands, that is the truth proper now.”
He mentioned the gamers had been attempting to get used to it, however nonetheless placed on a “nice present.”
“We’re nonetheless selling our stunning sport and that is actually good I feel. Hopefully supporters are going to return again quickly and it will be again to regular,” he added.
With or with out spectator assist, Medvedev is turning into identified for his understated celebration when he wins.
He informed CNBC this trait had developed all through his profession, together with as a younger junior witnessing fellow competitor’s over-zealous celebrations after successful the primary spherical of a event. “The man can be rolling all around the courtroom screaming ‘come on,’ hugging his household and pals, which is regular, that is feelings. However I’d be like: Come on, that is the primary spherical … this isn’t a Grand Slam win.”
At 24, Medvedev is among the subsequent era of gamers difficult a number of the long-established names within the trendy recreation, together with Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.
“It is not straightforward as a result of these three are the three biggest tennis gamers of all time and there’s no doubt about this. All of the information they’ve damaged are simply merely sensational and no one earlier than may even come near their information,” he mentioned.
“So it is actually robust … even when they are not that younger anymore, to beat them and particularly on Grand Slams. So we do our greatest, we observe exhausting. We do win them many instances, … so hopefully, in the future we will do that an increasing number of.”