Djokovic picks Medvedev as player to lead the next generation when the Big 3 retire

With Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic approaching the tail end of their careers, it's only natural for a younger generation of tennis stars to take over and Djokovic believes Daniil Medvedev will be the man to lead the charge.

Having just defeated Medvedev at the Paris Masters to claim a record 37th ATP Masters 1000 title, the Serbian not only secured a record 7th year-ending No.1 ranking but also gained revenge for his US Open final loss to the Russian.

However, the World No.1 had nothing but high praise for Medvedev after the match, commenting on his improved aggressive style of play.

"There are no holes in his game right now. Both forehand and backhand are very solid,” said Djokovic. “Running forehand from mid court, something that probably wasn’t his forte in the past, he has improved a lot.

“It’s just he always makes you play. He has a way to come back to the point from really difficult positions. For someone of his height, the movement and the defense is fantastic. And also, he has improved in his aggressive style.”

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Furthermore, the Serbian complimented the Russian's work ethic, and admitted that Medvedev would soon overtake him in the rankings to become the new World No.1.

“He’s one of the guys that you see, where you see the commitment and devotion to everyday training and trying to perfect his game," admitted Djokovic. “He’s a very smart and nice guy. Tries to maximize his potential.

“He’s closing in on the world No 1 rankings. I’m sure he’s going to get it eventually, and when he does, it’s completely deserved, because he’s the leader of the next generation of players.”