“I was really happy for Zverev”: Daniil Medvedev on breakthrough that reshapes their Slam generation

Daniil Medvedev said he was “really happy for Zverev” after the German completed his long-awaited Grand Slam breakthrough, framing the moment as part of the natural emotional cycle experienced by players who have repeatedly reached the late stages of majors without sealing the title.

The Russian, speaking in Halle ahead of his return to grass-court competition, placed immediate emphasis on the psychological weight carried by players from his generation, many of whom have spent years competing in parallel careers defined by near-misses at the highest level.

Medvedev’s comments came as the ATP Tour enters the short grass swing, with Halle serving as one of the key 500-level events ahead of Wimbledon. The 29-year-old arrived after previously reaching the final in Germany, describing the environment as familiar but the draw as highly competitive.

While his own preparation remains focused on execution on grass, Medvedev repeatedly returned to Zverev’s recent success as a reference point for the shifting competitive balance at the top of men’s tennis.

Medvedev’s first reaction centred on the emotional significance of Zverev’s Grand Slam victory, particularly given the German’s history of deep runs followed by defeats in decisive matches.

“I think, first of all, it's a great feeling,” the Russian said about winning a Grand Slam title. “I was really happy for Sasha to see, because he had some tough losses in the semis, in the final, and the final was tough, five sets.”

The two players belong to the same generational cohort, born in the second half of the 1990s, alongside figures such as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini, who have collectively defined the post-Big Three transition phase in men’s tennis. Until few weeks ago, Medvedev remained the only one in that group with a Grand Slam title, won at the US Open in 2021.

Zverev’s breakthrough therefore alters a long-standing narrative within that generation, where repeated final losses had become a defining pattern. Medvedev, who himself has reached multiple major finals beyond his US Open triumph, acknowledged the shared emotional load of that experience. “To see him succeed was actually a good feeling, and I'm pretty sure he feels good about this.”

He also stressed that the aftermath of a first Slam title is unpredictable, both in terms of motivation and performance stability. “I think the feeling, meaning the after feeling for everyone is different,” the former world no. 1 added. “For me, for some time it was a bit euphoric, and I managed to play so well having this feeling, and then step by step you lose it a bit, and the new rhythm needs to come in. So we have no idea how it's going to work for him, but I think everyone is pretty happy for him.”

Only after addressing Zverev’s achievement did Medvedev turn to his own immediate focus: the grass-court swing and his preparation in Halle. The Russian described the transition from clay as one of the most demanding in tennis, due to the radical differences in bounce, timing and movement patterns.

“I like to be back here. It's a grass season, it's a season that I kind of like, and I'm looking forward to the tournament this year. Just a day of practice was a good day, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow.”

Medvedev has historically performed well on grass relative to expectations based on his baseline-heavy style, though he emphasised that early rounds are often inconsistent before rhythm develops. Halle, in particular, offers a compact field where margins between seeded players and lower-ranked opponents are frequently narrow.

He noted that unpredictability remains a structural feature of tennis, regardless of surface or draw strength, reinforcing his preference for match-by-match focus rather than long-range projections. “This is tennis, so whatever, I just focus on my matches. Hopefully I can show some good tennis and try to go far and meet these other good players.”