Daniil Medvedev enjoyed a winning start to his 2026 campaign on the ATP Tour.
In the opening round of the Brisbane International, Medvedev defeated Marton Fucsovics in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to set up a meeting with Frances Tiafoe in round two.
The Russian had an up-and-down season last year, during which he saw his ranking fall to as low as 18th in the world.
After Medvedev parted ways with longtime coach Gilles Cervara and appointed Thomas Johansson, however, he rediscovered form and clinched his first title in 882 days at the Almaty Open.
With a triumphant start to his Australian swing, the former world number one was asked in his post-match press conference if he fancies his chances in Melbourne.
Daniil Medvedev discusses his chances at the Australian Open
“I’m not seeded high, so I can get into a very tough draw early on,” said Medvedev, who has reached the Australian Open final three times in his career.
- 2021: Lost to Novak Djokovic in the final
- 2022: Lost to Rafael Nadal in the final
- 2024: Lost to Jannik Sinner in the final
“But at the same time, when you’re in the tournament, you play your best no matter who you get.
“Sometimes there are upsets, and actually, you can be, in terms of seeded, not highly seeded, but then get a good draw, or you can just beat someone good and get a better draw.
What is your boldest tennis prediction for 2026?
“So you never know. In terms of my chances, in this moment of my career, I’m a little bit not anymore the favourite guy to win everything, but I will try to, as fast as possible, be again this guy.”
Daniil Medvedev says he has been playing well in pre-season
Medvedev continued: “I have been playing good in pre-season, practicing well, so I’m happy that I managed to put it on the tennis court.
“Because again, guys, we all know how to play tennis, so we all can play well. Sometimes you can play well and lose.
Which American man has the best chance of winning a Grand Slam in 2026?
“But I know that also when I play well, I win a lot of matches. So I’m happy to play well today and to win the match.”
Medvedev has a winning record of 5-1 against his next opponent, Tiafoe, but the American won their last meeting in 2024.
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