Daniil Medvedev faced a tough challenge with an injury during his quarter-final match at the 2024 Shanghai Masters against Jannik Sinner. It was clear from his previous game with Stefanos Tsitsipas that something was not right, as his shoulder seemed to be bothering him. Despite this, Medvedev decided to play against the World No. 1, unsure how his shoulder would hold up.
Choosing to fight through the pain, he called for medical help twice during the match but still finished on his feet instead of quitting to save himself for future games. Unfortunately, he lost in straight sets: 1-6 and 4-6, as Sinner’s strength proved overwhelming. Afterward, Sinner offered kind words at the net, acknowledging Medvedev’s struggle.
Fans might wonder if it was wise for him to continue playing despite the injury. “I had pain in my shoulder,” Medvedev admitted after the match. “It started yesterday… I hope it’s nothing serious.” His serving suffered greatly because of this issue—an essential skill when facing someone like Sinner who rarely gets broken.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇷🇺 Daniil Medvedev | 28 | 6,485 | 27 - 8 |
Medvedev’s Struggle and Respect for Opponent
The injury not only affected his serve but also drained his energy levels; battling through pain is never easy compared to being fully fit and lively on court. “When you have pain,” he explained, “the energy’s not the same.” Although he tried boosting himself up in the second set, without a strong serve it was hard to overcome Sinner.
Despite everything, Medvedev didn’t want to blame his loss solely on being hurt; he recognized that one of ATP‘s best players stood across from him that day and praised Sinner’s improvements: “He plays well… serves much better than before.”
Sinner has grown into a formidable opponent known for consistency—rarely losing before reaching quarterfinals—and great serving skills which helped secure victory over Medvedev even when things seemed tilted slightly towards Jannik’s favor.
Injuries are part of sports life; what do you think about players pushing through them?
