"That's what I want to do as well" - Daniil Medvedev opens up on being inspired by Andy Murray's career path
ATPWednesday, 26 February 2025 at 10:30
Despite competing in the same era as the Big Three, British tennis star Andy Murray left his mark on the sport in a manner that has left former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev feeling motivated.
Murray retired at the 2024 Summer Olympics Games, where he reached the quarterfinals of the doubles event alongside compatriot Dan Evans. Nonetheless, the 37-year old left behind a legacy that spans almost two decades and saw him capture three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals.
Medvedev admires Murray's mindset and confidence
The Russian star will be returning to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he is the defending champion. In an interview with the Khaleej times, Medvedev revealed he had taken inspiration from the retired British star.
Yeah, Andy also winning the Olympic gold twice was actually crazy,” began Medvedev. “You know, Andy inspires me a lot. But I think Novak inspires me, even if I know I’m not gonna win 24 Grand Slams. Roger [Federer] inspires me, even if his game was completely the opposite of my game. Rafa [Nadal] is a lefty, but they all inspired me.
“And I would even say Andy, at least for the moment, is not comparable to me, because he won so many tournaments, Masters and all those titles. And I would say that maybe I like someone like Stan (Wawrinka), who won his first (Grand Slam) when he was 29.
“And this is kind of more inspiring, because he was beaten by those guys from time to time, and he was like, ‘okay, but I’m going to do it’. And that’s what I want to do as well. As I said, lately my level has been a bit lower than I expected, but I know what I’m capable of."
“And I would even say Andy, at least for the moment, is not comparable to me, because he won so many tournaments, Masters and all those titles. And I would say that maybe I like someone like Stan (Wawrinka), who won his first (Grand Slam) when he was 29.
“And this is kind of more inspiring, because he was beaten by those guys from time to time, and he was like, ‘okay, but I’m going to do it’. And that’s what I want to do as well. As I said, lately my level has been a bit lower than I expected, but I know what I’m capable of."
The 2021 US Open champion defeated German Jan-Lennard Struff in his opening round match in Dubai, and is set to face big-hitting Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
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.
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