Daniil Medvedev is out of the China Open in disappointing fashion after being forced to retire against Learner Tien.
Naturally, it’s hard to call him for being injured, but he should have been walking off the court way before he started cramping up.
Medvedev was 7-5, 5-3 up before losing the second set and being taken into a third-set decider.
Medvedev has seen his work ethic questioned recently, and it remains to be seen whether he can arrest this remarkable slump in 2025.
During his defeat to Tien, Medvedev had another spat with an umpire, and it would appear this defeat will prove a frustrating one for him.
With his participation in another tournament now over, some discussions have turned towards his form and whether or not he can win another Grand Slam.
Photo by PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty ImagesCoCo Vandeweghe delivers Grand Slam verdict on Daniil Medvedev
After losing in three of the four Grand Slams this year in the first round, it feels crazy to even discuss Medvedev winning another one.
In 2021, he came through at the US Open to win a major title for the very first time but since then, he’s lost in three finals.
Given that he does have the know-how when it comes to winning one, Vandeweghe won’t discount him, but concedes it’s unlikely that he claims another one.
She said on the Inside-In podcast: “To me, for Medvedev, there is so much of just getting back to basics when things are getting out of hand.
“And so many players across different sports can attest to that, so it can be as simple as his footwork or focusing on your technique. Those are simple things that you can control and take care of.
“When someone is playing out of their shoes, then it’s like too good on the day, but did I take care of what I can control?
“That is something that I think Medvedev will have to keep searching for, because him having his daughter at the start of the year really delayed his start.
“He showed up in Australia with no tournaments being played and then had to find his game quickly when everyone was already in the season and in the role of things.
“I think for Medvedev, I will still see him at the top of the game. Whether he can win another Grand Slam or not, I don’t think so, with the way that the game is going, unfortunately.
“Father Time catches up to everybody. And now, Medvedev, as long as he’s still in the hunt, he will need other things to fall away for him to be able to win.
“He does not really control his own destiny in the same way that Sinner or Alcaraz or do, or even one of those guys who have contended over the last three to five years.”
Medvedev has to bounce back in 2026
Before this year, Medvedev hadn’t lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since the French Open in 2023, and before that, it was all the way back in 2020.
This year has been a pretty bad one for the Russian, and it will be intriguing to see how he bounces back from this pretty drab campaign.
Right now, Medvedev is in 18th place on the ATP world rankings and for a player boasting 20 career titles, that’s pretty poor.
It’s hard not to agree with Vandeweghe over Medvedev, and at 29, the time might be running out for him to get himself into a position to win another major.