Did Rafael Nadal 'break' Daniil Medvedev by denying him Australian Open title?

Daniil Medvedev says he can't help but wonder if he was 'broken' by his Australian Open final defeat to Rafael Nadal.

Medvedev has had a lot with which to contend this season. Like all Russian players, he has had to deal with the fallout from the conflict in Ukraine which led to him being banned from Wimbledon.

He has also had the pressure of the being world number one and underwent surgery on a hernia during the course of the campaign.

There is little doubt, though, that for one reason or another he has not looked quite like himself since his Australian Open final defeat to Nadal in January.

He was two sets up and looking good to win a second consecutive major before a stunning comeback from the Spaniard, and he says he can't rule out it having an effect on his season.

“Did the final in Australia break me? It’s never known," Medvedev told reporters at the Astana Open.

"This may very well be true – or it may not be true. I don’t know. I didn’t play well in Indian Wells and Miami, but I was already on a different wavelength. But the tournament in Acapulco was hard to play after the Australian final

“I also had surgery to remove an inguinal hernia. Could it also have had some consequences? Maybe yes, maybe no. For my part, I try to do my best.

“The final in Australia is already forgotten. Yes, it’s a shame, I wanted to win, but I can’t change it anymore, so the only thing left is to try to do it better next time. Even if there was an influence, I hope that I will be able to overcome it.”