Daniil Medvedev steep downfall

SinnerEra said:
Daniil Medeved's free fall in performance needs to be studied in a laboratory. I've rewatched highlights of some of his matches from years ago, and the thing that immediately stands out is his much faster ball speed than today. His serve was also very different. He's only 29 and should be in the prime of his prime. I wonder what could cause such a drop in power and ball release, or is it just a mental issue after losing another Grand Slam final, with a two-set lead in the 2024 AO final.
He's beaten by anyone, and the performances he's made in recent tournaments suggest a player ready to retire in Monte Carlo
Click to expand...
Former number 1 and a Grand Slam champion. Better than 99.9999% of all pro players.
 
Rosstour said:
Exactly. People talk about Fed2006 but 2009 was points away from being a CYGS. All four Slam finals, won the Channel Slam, tied then equaled the record. All at 27/28
Click to expand...

Two games, if you assume no butterfly effect. Third set tiebreak at the AO; second or fourth set tiebreak at the USO. I think any of those games would win him the match in question. But whether the AO win might affect subsequent matches in 2009, I'm not sure.
 
Last edited:
It's quite common for elite players to have a great 5/6 years and then fall away after that. Even some ATGs only had 5/6 great years. Not sure why after he achieved the highest highs, getting to #1 and winning a Slam (really should have two them) now people are saying he wasn't that good. His achievements speak for themselves as does the big wins he has over ATG players.
 
Last edited:
big ted said:
im getting tired of this hypothesis.
For every player that peaks when they’re 30 there are at least 20 players that don’t. So what is the norm?
Click to expand...
29 is not 30 nor 35, you're exaggerating the age effect.
 
Last edited:
big ted said:
we ONLY started talking about extra longevity solely becuz the big 3 did it lol..
Click to expand...
Far from solely. We observed that as a near-universal pattern accross most sports.

NBA. LBJ, KD, Curry, etc.
Football: Cristiano, Messi, etc.
Tennis: Big 3, etc.

I could put many more examples from basketball, football and other sports but I think the point is clear. Modern nutrition and sports science have improved and so the longevity of players has increased. The Big 3 are not an exception but rather part of a pattern.

Also, 29 is not 35, you're exaggerating the age effect.
 
Last edited:
Rosstour said:
I said Fed was points away from CYGS which is true. Now you want to talk about Rafa dominating him etc. that’s just to make yourself feel good. Nothing to do with the discussion at hand.
Click to expand...

that’s hypothetical, reality is Fed lost two slams and was lucky to win two in absence of Nadal
 
Rosstour said:
I said Fed was points away from CYGS which is true. Now you want to talk about Rafa dominating him etc. that’s just to make yourself feel good. Nothing to do with the discussion at hand.
Click to expand...
How exactly was 2009 Federer two points away from winning a CYGS when he only won 2 Slams and didn't even win the 1st two? Lol.
 
TennisGrandpA said:
that’s hypothetical, reality is Fed lost two slams and was lucky to win two in absence of Nadal
Click to expand...
Saying he was points away is not a hypothetical. I’m not speculating on why.

You want to say he was lucky, Rafa dominated him, etc—that’s getting into fan wars negativity and you will get a negative reaction when you do that. I guess since this thread isn’t about Sinner, and you can’t be negative on Alcaraz, you have to be negative about someone else. Maybe learn to be more positive and not just default to “ahahahaha your fav sucks”
 
Sport said:
29 is not 30 nor 35, you're exaggerating the age effect.
Click to expand...
LOLOLOLOL

Sport said:
Far from solely. We observed that as a near-universal pattern accross most sports.

NBA. LBJ, KD, Curry, etc.
Football: Cristiano, Messi, etc.
Tennis: Big 3, etc.

I could put many more examples from basketball, football and other sports but I think the point is clear. Modern nutrition and sports science have improved and so the longevity of players has increased. The Big 3 are not an exception but rather part of a pattern.

Also, 29 is not 35, you're exaggerating the age effect.
Click to expand...
naming only players from other sports LOLOL
 
Rosstour said:
Saying he was points away is not a hypothetical. I’m not speculating on why.

You want to say he was lucky, Rafa dominated him, etc—that’s getting into fan wars negativity and you will get a negative reaction when you do that. I guess since this thread isn’t about Sinner, and you can’t be negative on Alcaraz, you have to be negative about someone else. Maybe learn to be more positive and not just default to “ahahahaha your fav sucks”
Click to expand...

Saying he was Nadal away from being slam less is not also hypothetical, he wasn’t beating Nadal lol
 
NoleFam said:
It's quite common for elite players to have a great 5 years and then fall away after that. Even some ATGs only had 5 great years. Not sure why after he achieved the highest highs, getting to #1 and winning a Slam (really should have two them) now people are saying he wasn't that good. His achievements speak for themselves as does the big wins he has over ATG players.
Click to expand...

You have to consider - like med for instance, play style and injuries.
Sports hernia : while he had it corrected, I know people who have had them and never go back to the same confidence level in physical activities (tennis weight lifting are two). Not saying this is an issue but it’s on the resume.

And the reoccurrence of his shoulder injuries. Not sure exactly to the extent but med commented on them saying it’s been a problem since 2023.
You notice how he’s flip flopping strings from full poly to gut in main, or gut in cross hybrid.

And his play style is a grinder. Hard to reinvent yourself when you’re a 20 title, slam champion, YEC and former #1 at 29 years old.
His style of play can cause more nagging injuries.
 
ChrisJR3264 said:
You have to consider - like med for instance, play style and injuries.
Sports hernia : while he had it corrected, I know people who have had them and never go back to the same confidence level in physical activities (tennis weight lifting are two). Not saying this is an issue but it’s on the resume.

And the reoccurrence of his shoulder injuries. Not sure exactly to the extent but med commented on them saying it’s been a problem since 2023.
You notice how he’s flip flopping strings from full poly to gut in main, or gut in cross hybrid.

And his play style is a grinder. Hard to reinvent yourself when you’re a 20 title, slam champion, YEC and former #1 at 29 years old.
His style of play can cause more nagging injuries.
Click to expand...

i wonder if his injuries are due to age
 
ChrisJR3264 said:
You have to consider - like med for instance, play style and injuries.
Sports hernia : while he had it corrected, I know people who have had them and never go back to the same confidence level in physical activities (tennis weight lifting are two). Not saying this is an issue but it’s on the resume.

And the reoccurrence of his shoulder injuries. Not sure exactly to the extent but med commented on them saying it’s been a problem since 2023.
You notice how he’s flip flopping strings from full poly to gut in main, or gut in cross hybrid.

And his play style is a grinder. Hard to reinvent yourself when you’re a 20 title, slam champion, YEC and former #1 at 29 years old.
His style of play can cause more nagging injuries.
Click to expand...
Some of it is probably injury related but I think he's just peaked and on the decline. Staying at that elite level is incredibly difficult and then with younger and more hungry players, it becomes even more difficult. 6 years ago, he was the 23 year old challenging the best players for Slams and today there are 22 and 24 year old ATGs now running the game. He's now a veteran compared to them and he's just not playing as well as he was even a year ago. It's just the way the cookie crumbles a lot of the time.
 
Sport said:
Far from solely. We observed that as a near-universal pattern accross most sports.

NBA. LBJ, KD, Curry, etc.
Football: Cristiano, Messi, etc.
Tennis: Big 3, etc.

I could put many more examples from basketball, football and other sports but I think the point is clear. Modern nutrition and sports science have improved and so the longevity of players has increased. The Big 3 are not an exception but rather part of a pattern.

Also, 29 is not 35, you're exaggerating the age effect.
Click to expand...
I agree athletes can have longer careers, i dont believe peak age is changed though.

We have just witnessed the reverse age shift in tennis. The only player left in top20 older than 30y is now Djokovic. In football an 18y old is probably the best player in the world.

90-95 was a historically weak crop in tennis, still, you cant just put in on that.
 
SinnerEra said:
He's only 29 and should be in the prime of his prime.
Click to expand...
Age 29 may be late prime for some players, but for others it will be post-prime. A player at this stage can still be effective, and possibly win even big titles on occasion, but we should disabuse ourselves of any "still at his best!" notions.
 
kangaroo1973 said:
It really boggles mi mind that this guy has won a slam and finished runner up 5 times to various opponents. Like how? Poor forehand.
Great backhand. More or less decent serve, disastrous net game/touch and good return and poor mentality. Just how has this guy won a slam? Never ceases to amaze me.
Click to expand...
If I may, HIGH first-serve percentage, and at his peak, breath-taking angles with pace. OP is right - pace has fallen off dramatically and I've noticed his angles are no longer elite.
 
I said in a thread last year that his decline started in 2024, and now it's just accelerating.

For someone that broke through quite late in the sport at 23, he's done extremely well for himself in that 2019-2023 period. A USO title, 5 RUs, YEC, 6 MS titles and World Number 1 is more than what his talent deserves quite frankly. His ultra defensive, attritional style of tennis doesn't lend itself to longevity, and he doesn't possess the talent to add strings to his bow. He's been trying that over the last couple of years to no avail.

Once his serve dropped off, he started to struggle, and with his ultra defensive game, cheap points became more difficult to come by.

I wouldn't be surprised if he peaks another couple of times and grabs another 1000 or makes another slam F, but his days a serial winner are probably done.
 
TennisGrandpA said:
He might be 250 player but he exposed Carlos at USO 2 years back
Click to expand...
And Alcaraz exposed Sinner in the 2025 US open Finals destroying Him and winning 56% of the Points which Is Owning... Alcaraz is Now 7-2 on Hard courts against Sinner and 2-0 in the US Open.... sinner is now 1-7 against His daddy Alcaraz since 2024...
 
Medvedev has a new Swedish coach (Thomas Johansson) yaaay. He needs someone calm to balance that tantrum of his. It’s a great fit.
 
TennisGrandpA said:
Sinner is playing tennis and owning it , won 2 slam this year and lock for the third meanwhile your second fiddle hero barely won the FO lol
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
Hood_Man said:
Djokovic choked badly the moment he walked out on court.
Click to expand...
That Nole uso final loss to meddy was a bigger choke than the 40-15 wimby.
Losing with the cygs being literally ready to be handed to him on a platter with a weak era final opponent who he always beat easily after that match.
The wimby match was a 38 year old in a 5th set against a 6 years younger #1. It shouldn't even have gone that long.
 
Incognito said:
Medvedev has a new Swedish coach (Thomas Johansson) yaaay. He needs someone calm to balance that tantrum of his. It’s a great fit.
Click to expand...
I noticed a lot more net play and attacking the net. Threw some serve and volley. Shortened the take back on his forehand too so there’s some tweaks to his mechanics. I think his take back has been hurting him with the ball speed/rpm’s growing on tour.

He also must’ve went to Deiter to get some mods. Never had DC customization on his butt cap before.
 
ChrisJR3264 said:
I noticed a lot more net play and attacking the net. Threw some serve and volley. Shortened the take back on his forehand too so there’s some tweaks to his mechanics. I think his take back has been hurting him with the ball speed/rpm’s growing on tour.

He also must’ve went to Deiter to get some mods. Never had DC customization on his butt cap before.
Click to expand...
What is mods?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

marbz
Daniil Medvedev escaping a default despite hitting a fan in the face
2
Replies
61
Views
5K
ChrisJR3264
ChrisJR3264
terribleIVAN
Daniil Medvedev, the cerebral, baby-faced predator
Replies
1
Views
312
victorcruz
victorcruz
clayqueen
Daniil Medvedev fined after taunting US Open crowd
2
Replies
81
Views
8K
Airspun
Airspun
Smecz
Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz critize atp tour balls
Replies
6
Views
861
what_army
what_army
Aabye5
Daniil Medvedev: chief superbrat
2
Replies
62
Views
4K
Shaolin
Shaolin
Back
Top