Daniil Medvedev returns to scene of triumph as potential US Open disruptor

Medvedev secured his only grand slam to date at Flushing Meadows in 2021

(Getty Images)

Daniil Medvedev has enjoyed the budding rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic like everyone else, but said he hopes to crash their party at the US Open and play the role of disruptor this fortnight.

World number one Alcaraz, the defending champion in New York, and second-ranked Djokovic, a 23-times major winner, have won the last five Grand Slams and created huge expectations for a possible US Open showdown in the final.

“I think it’s great for tennis that we have these two guys playing against each other right now,” Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, told reporters ahead of the year’s final grand slam.

“It’s a great story, but then the tournament starts and hopefully we can - when I say ‘we,’ I mean me personally or someone else - we’re going to try to beat them and stop them from playing each other.

“Consciously, I don’t think about it. I just try to win. That’s the most important (thing). But unconsciously, I feel like many times I was playing good in this role. Hopefully it can help me this week, these two weeks.”

Medvedev, 27, has won five titles this year with triumphs in Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai, Miami and Rome. The Russian world number three reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last month, losing to eventual champion Alcaraz.

“I think that’s normal we talk about them,” added Medvedev, who beat Djokovic in the final to win the US Open title two years ago.

“I do think we still talk about me. I’m not feeling too bad, but I’m going to try. The goal is, after this US Open, that we talk about me, so I’m going to try to do it.

“Two years ago, I managed to play definitely one of, if not the best, match of my life. I want to try to do it again.”

Medvedev will begin his campaign against Hungary’s Attila Balazs on Tuesday 29 August.

Reuters