Daniil Medvedev has decided to prolong his break following his exertions at the Australian Open 2024, opting out of the ATP tournament in Doha as well. This choice by the Russian player will undoubtedly impact the ATP rankings, potentially benefiting Jannik Sinner.
Sinner, the Italian tennis player, has two opportunities at the ABN AMRO, an ATP 500 event in Rotterdam, to become the first player from his nation in the Open Era to reach the third position in the ATP rankings. Only Nicola Pietrangeli, before the introduction of the computerized ranking system, managed to achieve this feat.
If Sinner emerges victorious in the Rotterdam tournament or makes it to the final at the ABN AMRO Open, he will ascend to the coveted ATP No.3 spot.
However, the journey ahead is still arduous for Sinner. After defeating Gael Monfils of France in a grueling three-set match, he is set to face Canadian player Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals within a few hours. Raonic, a former Wimbledon finalist in 2016, recently dispatched an in-form Alexander Bublik in straight sets.
The circulating rumors have indeed proven true: Daniil Medvedev has decided to skip the ATP 250 tournament in Doha as well. Instead, the Russian tennis player has chosen to take a brief hiatus following his challenging campaign at the Australian Open. Consequently, he will not be defending his title in Rotterdam and has now withdrawn from Doah.
Medvedev intends to extend this break until the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, incurring a loss of an additional 250 points in the rankings. In the previous edition of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Medvedev had triumphed over Andy Murray with a commanding double 6-4 victory in the final.
Reflecting on his win against Monfils, Sinner shared his analysis during the press conference: “I struggled with my serve in the second set, and the situation changed rapidly. Facing Monfils is never easy as he always brings something different to the court. Gael is an incredible entertainer, loved by all, and the sport truly needs him. I hope he continues to play for as long as possible so that I can face him again.”
Looking ahead to his upcoming quarter-final match against Milos Raonic, Sinner expressed his anticipation: “It will be a challenging encounter, but I am eager to embrace this new test. I have trained with Raonic a few times in my younger days. Hopefully, it will be a competitive match, even if the pace may not be as intense.”
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org