Can Daniil Medvedev or Carlos Alcaraz finish 2022 the way they started?
Can Daniil Medvedev or Carlos Alcaraz finish 2022: All of these have been called the future of men’s tennis over the last 12 months. Where can these two very different stars play the rest of the season and either end up with a Grand Slam victory?
As players and personalities, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz have little in common. One is Russian and the other is Spanish. One is 26 and the other is 19. One is 6’6 “and the other is 6’1”. You win with an unorthodox combination of flat shots and intentional consistency. The other is convinced with a completely modern combination of full-throttle topspin power and a delicate touch. Celebrate a big victory by falling into the courtyard like a “dead fish”. The other is to celebrate by throwing roars and fists into the sky.
However, Medvedev and Alcaraz have shared an important label for the past 12 months. During that period, each has been called the heir to the Big Three and the next dominant male player. But in the second half of the season, neither is rising at the same rate.
After defeating Novak Djokovic in last year’s US Open final, leading Russia to the Davis Cup title, and leading Rafael Nadal in two sets of two in the Australian Open final, Medvedev will be the face of the rest of 2022.
First, Medvedev gave the two sets lead to Melbourne’s Nadal. Then he underwent hernia surgery and missed two months. Medvedev, who reached first place for the first time in February, did his best at the French Open and small glass court tournaments and is now accumulating enough points to be at the top of the tour rankings.
However, he hasn’t won the title since Flushing Meadows and needs to gain momentum from scratch from the beginning of the year. The last time most of us saw Medvedev was on the Instagram video he posted on the afternoon of the Wimbledon Men’s Final. The clip shows that the camera is panning his living room and what he is looking at … Formula 1. “Perfect day” was written by a dry-humored Russian in the caption.
Alcaraz has never been as unlucky as Medvedev. His ranking is 5th, the highest in his career. This is an increase of 50 points from a year ago. He made it to the finals in Hamburg and lost a great match against his inspiring opponent Lorenzo Musetti. Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals at the French Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon. And again, he is only 19 years old. But at the same time, his latest results also mean leveling. Financially, it can be said that the market has been revised after the sharp rise in prices this spring.
From February to May, Alcaraz won titles in Rio, Miami, Barcelona, and Madrid, beating Nadal, Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev in a row in front of the Kahama Magica home crowd. By that time, Alcaraz had replaced Medvedev in the future of men’s tennis consensus, and Zverev had made him the “best player in the world.”
In Paris, he lined up with Nadal and Djokovic as co-favorites for the title. However, instead of playing against either, Alcaraz lost to Zverev in a tight set of four in the quarterfinals. He then lost to another young player, Jannik Sinner, at Wimbledon in four sets. At the Hamburg Open, he lost to his younger opponent, 20-year-old Musetti. In all three defeats, Alcaraz started slowly and defended bravely, but couldn’t find the shots he needed to turn the tide in his favor.
As Medvedevand Alcaraz launch their North American hardcourt swing in the coming weeks, the Next Big Thing sweepstakes will open up new competition. Nick Kyrgios has reached the Wimbledon final. Casper Ruud has reached the French Open final. Matteo Berrettini has reached three finals in a row on two fronts. And instead of leaving space at the top, Nadal and Djokovic worked together to win the first three majors of the year.
But Medvedev and Alcaraz are probably still the most intriguing players in the second half, perhaps even the US Open. Russians love summer hardcourts and have won titles in Toronto, Cincinnati, and New York. He will certainly put the first half of this frustrating season behind him and be motivated to once again prove that he belongs number one. For Alcaraz, in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium last year, he won five sets of spectacular wins over Stefanos Tsitsipas, raising awareness among American tennis fans. He will love this area again this year.
None of these people have ever taken over the tour in the way we expected in early 2022. But that doesn’t mean we were wrong to advertise them so high. For me, the best thing about them as a couple is how different they are. Climbing to the top of the leaderboard at the same time, the sport goes in two opposite directions but looks the same, and when it comes to rivals, it’s a strange and perfect style contrast. Medvedev and Alcaraz together show how wide and diverse the terrain of tennis is. Looking forward to where they will take us for the rest of the year.