'Hats off to him' - Andy Roddick lauds Daniil Medvedev's accomplishments despite battling the Big Three and the new era

Former World No.1 Andy Roddick had nothing but praise for tennis star Daniil Medvedev, pointing out the Russian's consistency and success over two different eras.

Medvedev turned pro in 2014, when the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were still in their prime. Despite his unorthodox style of play, the Russian soon established himself as one of the stars of the future.

The Moscow native would soon make his breakthrough on the ATP Tour, winning two ATP Masters 1000 titles in 2019. Additionally, he would reach his first Grand Slam final, losing to Nadal in five sets at the 2019 US Open.

Nonetheless, Medvedev would maintain his place as one of the top players on tour despite fending off the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. He would qualify for the year-ending ATP Finals in 2020, and win the event after defeating Dominic Thiem in the final.

Roddick has high praise for Medvedev

The Russian would finally get his hands on a Grand Slam title, defeating Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 US Open to win his sole major trophy. After finishing runner-up at the Australian Open the following year, Medvedev would rise to the World No.1 ranking, establishing himself as the best player on the planet.

However, the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, in addition to stellar play from other young stars, has seen Medvedev drop out of the top 10. Nonetheless, Roddick believes the Russian has accomplished a lot, considering he survived the transition from the Big Three to the new crop of stars and is still considered a threat at most tournaments.

"If you take a step back, he’s been world number one, a Grand Slam winner, a multiple Grand Slam finalist, a Masters 1000 winner," said Roddick in an episode of his Served podcast. "This guy is in a transitional era, starting with Rafa, Roger, Novak, and now moving into the early years of Alcaraz’s prime form, maybe not yet at his peak, but at the beginning of it. So, first of all, hats off to him.
"Secondly, he’s clearly searching for something. We’re at a turning point. Is this the new normal? Or is it just a lull, a question of confidence or adjustments? We don’t know yet. Betting against the greats is always risky. Players who have been world number one, who have won a Grand Slam, and who have more than 20 titles, they’re not easy to come by. He’s one of them."

With the 2025 US Open only a few weeks ago, Medvedev will have to find a way out of his current slump. The World No.14 lost in the second round to Australian Adam Walton at the ongoing Cincinnati Open.