TRENDING> Arina Rodionova, the top-ranked Australian female tennis player, achieves tennis history following an unexpected exclusion from the Australian Open.

02/02/2024 dominic Tennis 0

Sinner welcomed home in Rome | 00:25
Arina Rodionova, the top-ranked female tennis player in Australia, ironically remarked that she provided Tennis Australia something to “celebrate” by losing in the opening round of the Australian Open qualifiers after not receiving a wildcard. Now, at the age of 34, she has made tennis history by becoming the oldest woman to enter the world’s top 100 for the first time. This achievement follows a hard-fought three-set victory at the Thailand Open in Hua Hin, securing Rodionova a quarter-final spot and marking her return to the top 100. As of now, Rodionova stands as the sole Australian woman inside the top 100, with Kim Birrell being the next highest-ranked at 124.
Storm Hunter, who received a wildcard at Melbourne Park, advanced the furthest in the tournament, reaching the third round. Meanwhile, Arina Rodionova, currently ranked 101, is set to provisionally climb to No. 96 in the new rankings following her performance in Thailand. A victory in the tournament could potentially propel her into the top 70. This remarkable ascent comes for the Russian-born Melburnian, who was ranked as low as 302nd at the beginning of 2023. Reflecting on her first-round qualifying loss in Melbourne, Rodionova defiantly expressed regret, stating, “The only regrets I have from today is just I gave Tennis Australia something to celebrate. I think they are very pleased with my result today, and that’s what makes me upset.”The Thailand event marks Arina Rodionova’s return to competition since missing the qualifying rounds in Melbourne. In the quarter-finals, she is set to face China’s Lin Zhu.
Andy Roddick asserts that labeling Australian Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev as a one-slam wonder is foolish. Despite Medvedev’s loss to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final, Roddick dismisses such criticisms. Medvedev has reached six grand slam finals, winning the 2021 US Open against Novak Djokovic. The 27-year-old’s lengthy playing time at Melbourne Park, over 24 hours including early morning finishes, set a new record for the most playing time at a grand slam.

Daniil Medvedev’s heartbreaking five-set loss in the Australian Open final made him the first player to lose two grand slam finals after leading two sets to love, with Rafael Nadal also having come back to defeat him in the 2022 Australian Open final. This has sparked a debate about who is the best player to have won only one grand slam.

Andy Roddick, who won the 2003 US Open and the Davis Cup for the USA, but lost three Wimbledon finals and a US Open decider to Roger Federer, is mentioned in this discussion. Juan Martin Del Potro, who beat Federer in the 2009 US Open final before his career was hampered by injuries, is another candidate. Andy Murray, despite losing five Australian Open finals, is excluded from this debate as he won three other grand slams.

Andy Roddick contends that Daniil Medvedev’s tennis credentials surpass his own, labeling him as “one of the most underappreciated players ever.” Responding to a Twitter conversation, Roddick acknowledged that someone claimed, “Medvedev’s the best player ever that has one Slam,” and he positioned himself as the counterargument. Roddick asserted that Medvedev is superior to him, citing Medvedev’s numerous titles, victories in Masters Series events, a World Tour Finals win, and a stint as the world No. 1. He emphasized Medvedev’s accomplishment of defeating Novak Djokovic in a grand slam final and pointed out Medvedev’s back-to-back appearances in major finals. Roddick concluded by stating that anyone calling Medvedev a “one slam wonder” is ignorant and lacks understanding.

Andy Roddick highlighted the importance of looking beyond Daniil Medvedev’s loss in the Australian Open final after leading two sets to love. Roddick urged against focusing solely on that outcome, emphasizing Medvedev’s consistent performance over an extended period. He praised Medvedev’s overall tournament performance and his achievements spanning five or six years, pointing out that it was the Russian player’s sixth major final. Roddick defended Medvedev against criticisms of “blowing it” in finals, noting that Medvedev consistently makes opponents earn their victories. He compared his own experience of losing four finals and winning one, emphasizing that sometimes players face opponents who perform better on a given day.

Daniil Medvedev’s next opportunity to win a Grand Slam will be at the French Open in May. His best result at Roland Garros is a quarterfinal appearance in 2021.