Daniil Medvedev cracks ATP Top 10, credits new sense of dedication

Russia's Daniil Medvedev has finally cracked the ATP Top 10—a climb that was two years in the making.

Exactly a year ago, Medvedev was ranked No. 61, with three ATP titles to his name. He since defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at Monte Carlo. But the 23-year-old says the change began before the 2018 season.

"Starting from last preseason I became much more professional in everything I do, talking about preparation or even life apart from tennis,” Medvedev told the ATP Tour. “I started to dedicate my life to tennis. I started to do everything I can to be better in tennis and I’m really happy that it worked out because the worst scenario is when you do everything and it doesn’t work out, then you start asking questions: ‘I am doing everything right, so maybe I should just take it easy and be where I am?”

Medvedev's turnaround stemmed a conversation he had with his coach, Gilles Cervara.

“I was talking with him and I said, ‘Why should I take tennis seriously? Why should I do everything professionally? It takes so much dedication, so much mental strength. I feel like when I do it, nothing works’,” Medvedev recalled. “He was laughing at me, saying, ‘Okay, we’ll see. We’ll see. Maybe you’re right’.

"Now he’s laughing about this saying, ‘Hey Daniil, do you remember what you said? What do you think about this right now?'”

Medvedev joins another 6'6" 23-year-old Russian, No. 8 Karen Khachanov, in the Top 10 in the rankings. While older players still dominate at the big events, half the ATP Top 10 now consists of players aged 25 or under; Dominic Thiem, Sascha Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas are the others.