Daniil Medvedev intrudes on the Big Four’s No. 1 perch

Daniil Medvedev was seven years old and living with his family in Moscow when Roger Federer rose to No. 1 in the ATP rankings on Feb. 2, 2004.

There was no suspecting it then, but Federer’s achievement was the start of an extraordinary period of tennis domination by a small group of men who came to be known as the Big Four.

Together, Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and, to a lesser degree, Andy Murray hoarded the Grand Slam singles titles and the regular tour’s most prestigious titles, taking turns at No. 1 for more than 18 years.

On Monday, Medvedev, a lanky 26-year-old Russian with a technique that is far from orthodox, finally put an end to the Big Four’s numerical dominance, displacing Djokovic at No. 1.

“These guys have been amazing,” said Paul Annacone, the veteran coach and Tennis Channel analyst who once coached Federer.

Medvedev’s timing on the court is amazing, too: It creates wonderment at how someone whose long limbs seem to be flying in such contradictory directions can make such clean contact again and again.

But his timing in reaching No. 1 is not nearly so close to perfection.

Nadal, not Medvedev, is the ATP’s hottest player. The Spaniard is resurgent at age 35 and 15-0 in 2022 after rallying to defeat Medvedev in a classic five-set Australian Open final. He defeated him again last week in much more straightforward fashion on his way to another title in Acapulco, Mexico.

Medvedev also has benefited from Djokovic’s essentially sidelining himself because of his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19, which led to his deportation from Australia ahead of the Australian Open and is expected to keep him out of the prestigious American tournaments in Indian Wells, Calif., and Miami next month.

Then there is the issue of Medvedev’s nationality. The wider world is not much in the mood to celebrate Russia or Russian athletic achievements at the moment. The country’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine has sparked outrage, protests and international sanctions, and even before the invasion, there were hints of crowds turning against Medvedev.

During his quarterfinal victory against Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime at the Australian Open, a fan at Rod Laver Arena shouted, “Do it for Ukraine, Félix!”

But Medvedev has spoken out against the war since it began last week.

“By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world,” he said in Acapulco. “We play in so many different countries. I’ve been in so many countries as a junior and as a pro.”

He added: “It’s just not easy to hear all this news. I’m all for peace.”

Medvedev’s next tournament is scheduled to be next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where some players are already planning to show support for Ukraine by wearing outfits that feature blue and yellow, the colours of Ukraine’s national flag.

On Sunday, just hours before he officially became the top-ranked men’s singles player, Medvedev made another plea, this time on social media.

“Today I want to speak on behalf of every kid in the world,” he said. “They all have dreams. Their life is just starting, so many nice experiences to come: first friends, first great emotions. Everything they feel and see is for the first time in their lives. That’s why I want to ask for peace in the world, for peace between countries. Kids are born with inner trust in the world, they believe so much in everything: in people, in love, in safety and justice, in their chances in life. Let’s be together and show them that it’s true, cause every kid shouldn’t stop dreaming.”

Medvedev, like many leading Russian players, moved abroad in his teens to further his tennis career. While his Russian contemporaries Andrey Rublev, 24, and Karen Khachanov, 25, landed in Spain, Medvedev went to southern France and now lives in Monte Carlo, long a sunny, tax-friendly base for tennis stars.