Hamad Medjedovic is currently the world number 112, and is looking to break inside the top 100 for the first time in his career.
Medjedovic reached his first main tour ATP Final last year at his home tournament in Belgrade, before losing to Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.
The Serbian has already won four Challenger Tour titles, with Medjedovic’s biggest success coming at the Next Gen Finals in 2023.
However, Medjedovic could not capitalise on that straight away and had a slow start to the 2024 season after struggling with both injury and illness.
Hamad Medjedovic prioritizing ranking points after skipping Australian Open
Being ranked just outside the top 100, Medjedovic would have been in the Australian Open qualifying draw.
However, many noticed that the 21-year-old was not featured in the draw and instead had opted to compete at a lower level Challenger tournament in Oeiras, Portugal.
When asked about why he decided not to go to Melbourne for the Australian Open, Medjedovic explained that he was prioritizing ranking points over prize money.
“It was mostly because of the points and because it’s a big trip,” said Medjedovic. “But it’s not guaranteed I win points here. At the moment I prefer ATP points to money. We want to make the top 100 as soon as possible.”
Medjedovic can win a maximum 75 points if he takes the title in Oeiras, and would only have claimed 30 points if he was able to win three matches to qualify for the Australian Open.
How has Novak Djokovic supported Hamad Medjedovic?
Novak Djokovic has spoken about the importance of the Davis Cup to him, and actually teamed up with Medjedovic in doubles for Serbia’s most recent tie against Greece.
This is not the first time that Djokovic has supported his compatriot, with Medjedovic previously revealing that the 24-time major winner had given him financial backing at the beginning of his career.
“Novak Djokovic’s been helping me out financially,” said Medjedovic. “Giving me whatever I need for my career. He covered it all. He just helped me out when I needed it and [is] still helping me out in all types of ways. I’m glad he’s there for me.”
He added, “Would you believe who was the first to congratulate me on my title – Novak. When I picked up my phone, I saw his voice message lasting more than one minute. He is a legend because he is always available for advice.”
The pair have the opportunity to team up again soon, after both Djokovic and Medjedovic were selected for Serbia’s Davis Cup tie with Denmark.
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