Time to take stock Daniil Medvedev. The Russian gave himself a mark of 6.5 out of 10 for his 2024 season concluded without a title for the first time since 2017, he explained on Thursday after his elimination from the ATP Masters.

“In such a demanding sport with so many players wanting the same thing, I want to be world No.1, but I really haven’t played well enough this year to be world No.1 (…) I’d give myself a mark of 6.5 out of 10.“, he declared after his defeat by Italian Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4. “Jannik plays much better than I do, and he’s shown that on several occasions.“he added of the Italian, who beat him in the Australian Open final (3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3).

I’ve really suffered throughout the season.

Daniil Medvedev

Having won their first six duels, Medvedev has lost eight of his last nine matches to Sinner. “He doesn’t lose many matches, not many players manage to beat him (…) Maybe he’ll end up losing his confidence and missing shots. If not, we’ll all suffer, not just me, because he’s very young and the years ahead could be very, very long if he continues to play at this level.“he warned.

“Despite everything, I’m N.4 in the world, I’m super proud of that, because I’ve really suffered throughout the season, every match, every training session has been a battle“The Russian finished the season with 46 wins and 21 losses, two finals contested but no tournament won.

“Before, I felt I had a clear advantage over my opponents to beat them easily. Now, I often need three sets or tie-breaks to beat them.“The Russian is a vocal critic of the balls used on the circuit, which he feels have lost their quality and put him at a disadvantage. “I’ve still got a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m already looking forward to next season.“concluded the 28-year-old former world No.1.