Stephanie Livaudais: Medvedev impressed at the start of the season, following up his US Open triumph with a confidence-boosting return to the Australian Open final. But after letting go of a two-set lead to see Nadal come back and win, the experience seemed to have left him rattled instead.
Likely compounded by other stressors—including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and his recent new parenthood status—the former No. 1 couldn’t quite shake off that mental dip for the rest of the year. In fact, Medvedev didn’t reach another Grand Slam final or Masters 1000 final. He took a month-long break to undergo a hernia procedure, and came back to win in Vienna (ATP 500) and Los Cabos (250). But ultimately the 26-year-old finished the season on a four-match losing streak, and saw his ranking drop to world No. 7.
To reestablish top-dog status, Medvedev will have to make a statement at the Australian Open—where he has reached back-to-back finals, and where the majority of his ranking points currently lie.