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Masking a complete space of 34,170 sq miles, Serbia is the 111th largest county on this planet. Whereas it will not be the largest in dimension, it’s a nation that has produced world-class tennis gamers all through the years. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is the clear instance, with now-retired Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki climbing as excessive as No. 8 and No. 12, respectively, within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Aiming to observe of their footsteps is 20-year-old Hamad Medjedovic, who will compete on the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM in Jeddah subsequent week.
“It was an enormous factor for certain rising up, having so many good gamers in our nation,” Medjedovic instructed ATPTour.com when discussing his early influences. “I bear in mind beginning to watch tennis after I was a child. We had Novak [Djokovic], Viktor [Troicki] and Janko [Tipsarevic] they usually had been so good.
“I bear in mind watching them continuously. As a child it gave me numerous motivation to start out taking part in tennis after which to turn out to be one in every of them as a result of I noticed that they may do it. They’re coming from a small nation, identical as me, and it gave me numerous motivation and self-belief that I might do it as nicely.”
Djokovic captured a document seventh Nitto ATP Finals crown on Sunday to clinch his 71st ‘Massive Title’, which is a mixture of Grand Slam championships, trophies on the Nitto ATP Finals, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, and Olympic singles gold medals.
On the high of the sport for greater than 15 years now, the 36-year-old has supplied constant inspiration and assist for Medjedovic, who recollects the primary time he met the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“I bear in mind assembly him after I was 10 I feel and it was my birthday,” Medjedovic stated. “I used to be in Belgrade and the previous Davis Cup captain [Bogdan Obradovic] was working at his academy. I used to be practising there and he took me to the Novak Centre. I did not know what was going to occur, however I bear in mind Novak coming and we met there for the primary time.
“It was the primary time I had seen him in particular person and I bought to speak to him. We simply had a few phrases exchanged, and I feel on the time it was the largest factor of my life that occurred. I had watched him on TV and now rapidly I bought to speak to him a bit of bit. It was a fantastic alternative.”
Medjedovic has since risen via the Serbian ranks, recurrently coaching together with his countrymen. He’s grateful for his or her fixed assist and revealed their success has been a fantastic supply of inspiration.
“I’ve identified them for a few years already the blokes. Even after I wasn’t on the Tour, after I was taking part in juniors, I used to be good as a junior, so I practised many occasions with Dusan [Lajovic], Laslo [Djere], Filip [Krajinovic], Miomir [Kecmanovic] and Noel,” Medjedovic stated. “I used to be speaking with them after we had been hitting they usually had been giving me so many issues that I might work on. When you’ve gotten guys like this speaking to you and supplying you with recommendation in your profession, it has had a big effect.
“It motivates me and I am it from a constructive aspect. I hear so many compliments and a number of the guys are saying that I am the way forward for our tennis. It offers me motivation and the gas to be even higher.”
Medjedovic continues to make full use of his Serbian community, having joined forces with three-time tour-level champion Troicki firstly of the season. Coach Troicki has helped Medjedovic rise to No. 102 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, win three ATP Challenger Tour titles and attain tour-level semi-finals in Gstaad and Astana.
“Viktor was working on the Novak Centre. He was a head coach there and was supervising me,” Medjedovic stated when discussing the pair’s relationship. “He was a mentor after which firstly of 2023 he grew to become my coach full time. He is giving me numerous actually good recommendation and he is serving to me every single day.
“The season collectively has been good. The primary 4 or three months I used to be struggling a bit of bit. It took time to start out doing what we had been engaged on throughout pre-season. After a few months, all of it clicked. I performed nicely in India in February. I made my first semis after a very long time after which all the pieces began going higher. I additionally performed within the semi-finals in Gstaad. It was an enormous factor for me, beating a few gamers from the Prime 100.”
The 20-year-old will now goal to complete the yr strongly on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, the place he’ll compete alongside Arthur Fils, Dominic Stricker, Luca Van Assche, Flavio Cobolli, Alex Michelsen, Luca Nardi and Abdullah Shelbayh.
Medjedovic is worked up to play at an occasion that has topped Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as champions. He additionally gave followers perception into what they need to anticipate to see from him on court docket in Saudi Arabia.
“Realizing that you simply’re within the Prime 8 on this planet of 21 and below gamers, it is a huge factor by itself. Additionally simply understanding that mainly whoever performed it earlier than is an effective participant now,” Medjedovic stated.
“I discover myself as a really aggressive participant on the court docket. I attempt to dictate that. I see myself as a great server. I am not going to be speaking so many good issues about myself, however I feel I’ve a fantastic serve, a fantastic forehand, and my fashion of sport is that I am aggressive on the court docket.”
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