"I think he thinks it should be his" - Woodbridge says Medvedev believes he can win the Australian Open
ATP
Daniil Medvedev lifted his maiden Grand Slam trophy at the 2021 US Open, and his hardcourt prowess has led Todd Woodbridge to believe that the Russian is the favorite to capture the title at the 2022 Australian Open.
Medvedev has won 12 of his 13 career titles on hardcourts, and his collective win-loss record at the two hardcourt majors in Melbourne and New York currently stands at 33-9. Woodbridge believes the 25-year-old perfectly suits the surface thanks to his clean, flat ball-striking, height and movement.
"He likes the ball low, so that's not a problem, and at 6’6” it's hard to get it up high on him,” Woodbridge observed. “And on hard court, he gets that ball in the strike zone (so nicely) that he's just able to lean in and almost hit down on the ball into the court.”
Read also
Furthermore, Woodbridge believes the World No.2 has improved in confidence over the last few years, as he recalled an incident that occurred when he found himself in an elevator with the Russian at the 2021 Australian Open.
"He was saying: ‘I'm playing so good, I made no unforced errors in my match today.’ And very rarely have I ever been with a tennis player who tells you that,” Woodbridge recalled.
“I've been around the greatest of players, and chatted to them since I've played, and ... I've seen people look the part and try to throw out this air of confidence and invincibility, but for me that's always a bit of a front. But with him, I didn't read it in the sense of him big-noting; I just see it as this inward confidence. And I liked that about him; there was excitement in the way he delivered it. Like, this is going to be great.
“A lot of players will get to be in great form like that, but be worried about losing. I don't think that's the case with him. He seems to believe that it's just a matter of time before all of these (great) things happen. Winning the US Open wasn't a surprise to him, and I don't think winning an Australian Open would be a surprise at all.
“I think he thinks it should be his.”
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!
mandoist09-11-2026 - "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?
mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
mandoist08-11-2026 - Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??
mandoist08-11-2026 - Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
- One step by another step -- WTA continues to 'lose the plot'. Too many hi-tech microphones being installed at most venues!!! Remove them (especially those along the hallways, sidewalks, and pathways throughout the venues. Not to mention (most of all) remove the mic's from the Players/Coaches Box.
mandoist06-11-2026 - Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.
mandoist06-11-2026 - Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026







