Nick Kyrgios’ unblemished record against Daniil Medvedev will count for something – but not much – when the two clash in the first real heavyweight showdown of the Australian Open.
Kyrgios boasts a 2-0 head-to-head record against Medvedev ahead of Thursday’s second-round clash, having beaten the Russian twice in 2019 – on a Washington hard court and on clay in Rome.
But their respective careers have since taken vastly contrasting paths, Kyrgios plummeting to 115th in the rankings and Medvedev surging to world No.2.
Medvedev’s grand slam breakthrough at Flushing Meadows in September, having lost the 2019 US Open final to Rafael Nadal and last year’s AO title decider to Novak Djokovic, drew the ultimate accolade from Kyrgios on Tuesday night
“He’s probably the best player in the world at the moment,” Kyrgios said after setting up the blockbuster with a straight-sets win over British qualifier Liam Broady.
Kyrgios was vocal in his support for Djokovic during the Serb’s visa saga but, now that the world No.1’s gone from Melbourne Park, he’s also seemingly forgotten.
Medvedev is not only the highest-ranked player now in the draw, but also a warm Open title favourite.
“He does everything extremely well. He’s a hard worker, ticks all the boxes,” Kyrgios said.
While they’re separated by 113 spots in the rankings, Kyrgios knows talent-wise it’s a different story.
The first and only player since Lleyton Hewitt almost two decades ago to topple Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic in his first-ever meeting with the Big Three, Kyrgios knows he can stop anyone when at his best.
“I feel like those matches still excite me, to go out there and play the best in the world,” the mercurial Australian said.
“That was always something I wanted to prove to people that someone like me could do, win those matches.
“I’m pretty excited, I’m excited for that moment. That’s why I play the game.
“I’m not going to go into it with a lot of expectation. I’m going to go out there, have some fun, play my game. I have a pretty set-in-stone game plan of what I need to do to have success.”
The 2015 AO quarter-finalist will draw on that success against Medvedev three years ago, even if Kyrgios says “no doubt that he’s probably double the player he was before when I played him”.
“I know the kind of game style and the way I need to play.
“He knows how I’m going to play, I think, and I know how he’s going to play. It’s going to be very contrasting styles.”
As much as Kyrgios would love to have a crack at Medvedev on his beloved John Cain Arena – “the people’s court” – the home hope is resigned to the showstopper taking place on Rod Laver Arena.
“Obviously either way it’s going to be a hell of an experience for me,” Kyrgios said.
“To play it on John Cain would be – I’m just going to call it the Kyrgios Court – would be fun.
“But, let’s be honest, it’s going to be on RLA.”
NICK KYRGIOS (AUS) leads 2-DANIIL MEDVEDEV (RUS) 2-0
2019 Washington, hard, F, Kyrgios 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4)
2019 Rome, clay, R64, Kyrgios 6-3 3-6 6-3
DANIIL MEDVEDEV
Age: 25
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US22,126,356
Career titles: 13
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2021)
Australian Open win-loss record: 14-5
Best Australian Open result: finalist 2021
NICK KYRGIOS
Age: 26
Ranking: 115
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US8,987,950
Career titles: 6
Grand slam titles: 0
Australian Open win-loss record: 17-6
Best Australian Open result: quarter-finalist 2015
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