Putting a "disaster" behind: Daniil Medvedev not losing belief he can win big again in 2023

Daniil Medvedev isn’t one to understate his opinion. Friday in Turin was no different.

With no shot to advance out of the Red Group at the ATP Finals, the 2020 champion still put on a three-plus hour show with Novak Djokovic. Coming through a gripping 22-point game in the third set to break serve, Medvedev had the match on his racquet for the second time in three days.

He ended up failing to close, eventually losing his third decisive tiebreak of the week in a brutal 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) finish.

“Super easy: I sucked, so... That's what happened. It's disaster,” Medvedev said on his inability to shut the door on Djokovic.

On February 28, Medvedev became the first player outside of the Big Four to reach No. 1 since Andy Roddick held the top spot in February 2004. He’ll finish 2022 outside of the Top 5 in a year where more than a 500 title and 250 triumph was expected—especially from himself—following a maiden major triumph over Djokovic at the 2021 US Open.

Despite the disappointing conclusion, Medvedev’s level in the back quarter of the season has given him reason to believe he can regain the form that carried him to the top of the rankings.

“Vienna and Astana I played great. I mean, today I played great. Let's be honest,” he said.

“I'm confident I'm going to be able to do something big in the future. Just need to continue working. Going to be sad for one, two days, then enjoy my days off, then get ready for the next season.”

Medvedev will go into 2023 with 15 career trophies to his name.