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Persevering with our annual season-in-review collection, ATPTour.com revisits the most important rivalries of 2022. In the present day we characteristic Daniil Medvedev vs. Nick Kyrgios.
Huge serving, big forehands and no scarcity of outrageous shotmaking. There are few higher spectacles on the ATP Tour than a free-hitting showdown between Daniil Medvedev and Nick Kyrgios.
After three years with out a tour-level assembly, followers have been handled to a few installments of the Medvedev-Kyrgios rivalry in 2022. Whereas Medvedev notched a formidable victory on the Australian Open, it was Kyrgios who secured bragging rights for the season with a pair of hard-fought wins on North American arduous courts, in Montreal and on the US Open.
On the finish of a yr during which Medvedev rose to World No. 1 for the primary time and a rejuvenated Kyrgios put collectively a few of the greatest outcomes of his profession, ATPTour.com appears to be like again on how one of many Tour’s blockbuster rivalries performed out in 2022.
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Australian Open, Second Spherical, Medvedev d. Kyrgios 7-6(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
The 2022 Grand Slam motion was simply 4 days outdated when Medvedev and Kyrgios collided in a heavyweight second-round conflict at January’s Australian Open.
For the primary half of the match it appeared that second-seeded Medvedev was on monitor to assert his first victory in three makes an attempt in opposition to the Australian in fashion. His top-quality return recreation helped him declare the primary two units on Rod Laver Area, however Kyrgios roused the house followers with some sometimes majestic shotmaking en path to the third.
“I believed the environment was superior,” Kyrgios later mentioned. “That is what sport is. You’ve got obtained essentially the most entertaining participant enjoying in his dwelling slam on Rod Laver. You’d anticipate the group to be like that.”
Photograph Credit score: William West/AFP through Getty Photos
These constructive vibes couldn’t carry Kyrgios to a well-known comeback win, nonetheless, as Medvedev slammed the door shut on the Australian in scientific trend by breaking twice within the fourth set to seal a two-hour, 58-minute win.
“I got here to win this match and I’m blissful I managed to do it,” mentioned Medvedev. “It was a humorous match as a result of we each served massive. Within the second and fourth units I managed to return just a little bit extra on the essential moments.”
Regardless of the defeat, Kyrgios was pleased with how he had carried out in opposition to eventual finalist Medvedev in simply his second aggressive match in 4 months.
“Regardless of how little I prepare or how a lot I play, I will all the time raise for matches like this,” mentioned the Australian. “I am not going to draw back from it… If I play 95 per cent of individuals tonight on that courtroom, I believe I win, to be sincere with you.”
Nationwide Financial institution Open Introduced by Rogers, Second Spherical, Kyrgios d. Medvedev 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2
In distinction to the assembly in Melbourne, Kyrgios arrived at August’s Nationwide Financial institution Open Introduced by Rogers in Montreal amid a red-hot run of type that had seen the Australian attain his maiden Grand Slam ultimate at Wimbledon and raise his seventh ATP Tour crown in Washington.
That confidence was plain to see in opposition to World No. 1 and defending champion Medvedev within the second spherical in Canada, the place the 27-year-old Australian remained unbroken all through a two-hour encounter for his 14th win in 15 tour-level matches.
“That is the fourth assembly we’ve had, and I’ve had some success in opposition to him prior to now,” mentioned Kyrgios after the match. “However he’s overwhelmed me earlier than [as well]. I really feel like we all know one another’s video games properly. I’m not the kind of participant that goes into this match rankings or something like that, it’s simply who I’m enjoying and how much ball they’re giving me.”
Kyrgios’ resolution to often deploy serve-and-volley techniques in opposition to an opponent famend for his deep positioning on return paid off in Montreal. The Australian gained 67 per cent (32/48) of factors on the web to assert his second win in opposition to a reigning World No. 1, after his 2014 Wimbledon win in opposition to Rafael Nadal.
“In the present day I had a really clear goal of how I used to be going to play, a number of serve-and-volley, a number of aggressive play from the again,” mentioned Kyrgios. “I executed higher than he did, that’s all it comes right down to.”
“He was nice. He was enjoying good,” mirrored the defeated Medvedev. “He beat me pretty, if we will say [it] like this.”
US Open, Fourth Spherical, Kyrgios d. Medvedev 7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Fewer than 4 weeks after his win in Montreal, Kyrgios ended one other Medvedev title defence on North American arduous courts with a formidable four-set victory on the US Open.
“I simply thought I performed the best manner,” mentioned Kyrgios, who fired 53 winners, together with 21 aces, en path to a two-hour, 53-minute fourth-round win at Flushing Meadows. “I returned unbelievable at present. Simply thought the third and fourth units have been simply so free. I used to be simply having a number of enjoyable, embracing each second out on Ashe at present. [I am] actually pleased with that.”
Kyrgios sealed his victory regardless of a weird third-set gaffe, later described by the Australian as “most likely essentially the most boneheaded play of all time”. At 1-0, 30/30 on Medvedev’s serve within the third set, Kyrgios ran spherical the online to intercept a excessive volley from the highest seed that was clearly not going to make it to his aspect of the courtroom.
“I believed it was authorized to be sincere. I genuinely thought it was authorized,” Kyrgios mentioned in an interview with ESPN. “I believed I used to be enjoying the concrete streets of my suburb in Canberra… You’ll be able to see my face… I used to be so blissful. I used to be like, ‘That’s the perfect shot ever’ and it wasn’t authorized. But it surely was enjoyable.”
A disenchanted Medvedev was impressed with the extent Kyrgios had proven because the Australian prolonged his lead within the pair’s ATP Head2Head collection to 4-1.
“It was a high-level match,” mentioned Medvedev, who misplaced his No. 1 spot within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on account of the loss. “[I’ve] performed Novak, Rafa. All of them play wonderful. Nick at present performed sort of their stage, in my view.
“He has just a little bit completely different recreation as a result of he is not like a grinder in a manner. On the identical time, he can rally. He is powerful to play. He has a tremendous serve… He has each shot. It was a extremely high-level match from him.”
Read more of our Best of 2022 series
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