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'Sad news': Tennis world stunned by Daniil Medvedev announcement

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read
Daniil Medvedev, pictured here in action at the Miami Open.
Daniil Medvedev looked physically exhausted at the Miami Open. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Daniil Medvedev has stunned the tennis world after announcing he has undergone surgery and will likely miss the French Open.

The US Open champion expects to be sidelined for one to two months after having surgery on a hernia, putting him in serious danger of missing the French Open.

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The World No.2 wrote on Twitter on Saturday that he has been dealing with "a small hernia" in recent months which required surgery.

"Together with my team I have decided to have a small procedure done to fix the problem," Medvedev's post said.

"I will likely be out for the next 1-2 months and will work hard to be back on court soon."

He later posted a photo from a hospital bed.

The 1-2 month timeline suggests Medvedev will likely miss the next grand slam at Roland Garros, which begins on May 22.

He reached the quarter-finals at the French Open last year after losing in the first round in each of his first four appearances in Paris.

The 26-year-old briefly reached No.1 in the ATP rankings for the first time in February, before Novak Djokovic regained the top spot despite not being able to play due to his vaccination status.

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, pictured here after the US Open final in 2021
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev look on after the US Open final in 2021. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Medvedev beat Djokovic in the US Open final last September, then lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open in January.

At his most recent two tournaments, the Russian went out in his second match at Indian Wells and then exited in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Thursday.

Fans expressed their sadness for Medvedev on social media after the surgery news.

Daniil Medvedev's physical struggles at Miami Open

On Friday, Medvedev failed in his bid to reclaim the No.1 ranking from Djokovic, falling 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 to Hubert Hurkacz in Miami.

Medvedev looked physically exhausted throughout the match, taking a long break in the locker room between the two sets.

The Russian also asked for the physiotherapist after having been repeatedly forced to lean on his racquet, back bent, to recover after rallies.

Medvedev said he found it hard to breathe at times and was cramping so badly in the locker room he was like "a fish on a sofa."

Daniil Medvedev, pictured here during his match against Hubert Hurkacz at the Miami Open.
Daniil Medvedev speaks with the medical staff during his match against Hubert Hurkacz at the Miami Open. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

"All match, I wasn't feeling my best," he said.

"After the tough points I was struggling to get my breath. I wasn’t recovering fast enough.

"You just have to fight but in the second set I felt strange.

"I don't often feel like this but it happens sometimes when it's hot.

"Maybe it was the heat but I was feeling dizzy and tired and there was one game where I couldn't serve anymore. In the locker room I was cramping."

Medvedev needed to reach the semi-finals in Miami to reclaim the No.1 ranking, but fell one victory short.

Djokovic, who hasn't played since Dubai in February, currently sits atop the rankings despite his absence from the tour.

with agencies

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