The Octopus

ATP

The Octopus

Most tennis fans hate watching Daniil Medvedev play. He’s got the ugliest strokes in the top 100, and plays like a wall from the baseline, which many find boring. But I am in awe of his boring style. The Russian has been in the top 20 for 6 straight years, was briefly World No. 1, and has his name etched in a slam trophy.

These days, he’s an obvious pick to make at least the semis of every tournament he’s in (minus on clay). So if he’s got such ugly strokes and a boring style, what makes him so damn good? Below are three aspects of his game that are hard to pick up on tv, but make him incredibly difficult to beat.

⬇️ Low Net Clearance: I wouldn’t be surprised if Meddy has the lowest average net clearance in the top 10. It seems like every backhand he hits goes over the net by just two inches. Why that’s effective: since Medvedev’s ball stays so low, his opponents are forced to also get low and hit upwards. As soon as one of those upward shots lands short, he’s quick to step in and attack. The first point in these highlights is a great example.

🎯 Ridiculous Precision: Coming in to net? Hope you have great hands since Daniil’s going to put the ball at your shoe laces. Think you have him in trouble since he’s 8 feet behind the baseline? He’ll laser a forehand that lands on a foot from the baseline. Time and again he hits well-place shots from parts of the court that seem impossible, in what feels like one of those “you can’t teach that” skills. Exhibit B.

🌈 Under-Rated Variety: before you think I have no bad word idea what I’m talking about, hear me out. While Meddy doesn’t have variety in the traditional sense, he has tools that keep his opponents off balance. He can crush a return from 15 feet beyond the baseline, then take the next ball on the rise a foot inside of it. He can lull players to sleep with slow groundies (think Gilles Simon), and then surprise them by taking a ball early and crushing it. And while he doesn’t have the best volleys, he finishes points at the net with a higher frequency than you’d think. Check out this point to see what I mean.

So next time you’re tempted to switch channels when Medvedev is on, give him another try and look for the things he does exceptionally well. He’s a master at his boring craft, and can even be a funny character on court. Don’t doubt The Octopus 🐙 

Trivia

All of the pairings below were real couples that were at one point engaged, except one. Which one was not?

A. Lleyton Hewitt & Kim Clijsters

B. Caroline Wozniacki & Rory Mcllroy

C. Jennifer Capriati & the late Matthew Perry

D. Andre Agassi & Brooke Shields

Find out at the bottom!

Meet the Player

Anna Kalinskaya

Tennis is a global sport, and it’s hard to keep track of all of the great players, old and new. In this section, you’ll get to know a new player each week, get quick analysis on their game, and how far I think they can go.

From: Moscow, Russia

Best Slam Result: QF (Australian Open)

Career High Ranking: 14 (Sept 2024)

Fun Fact: Both parents were professional Badminton players, so racket sports run through her veins. She’s also dating Jannik Sinner.

Game Analysis: Kalinskaya’s game is as clean as they come since her technique on all fronts is great. The Russian likes to bully opponents by standing close to the baseline and bludgeoning groundstrokes. She favors her backhand, and often takes it down the line early in points to set up an easy next shot.

Career Prediction: At just 25 years young, Kalinskaya is having her best season on tour yet. She’s climbed to a career high of No. 14 in the world, and has wins over Gauff, Swiatek, Ostapenko, and Paolini. If she can improve her movement & defensive skills, she could become a household name in the top 10, and even snag a slam or two on hard court.

Shot of the Week

Behind the back

Please excuse the dumb click-baity thumbnail (couldn’t find a better YouTube video).

The shot comes from none other than the ATP class clown, Corentin Moutet. What the shot lacks in power or speed, it makes up for in skill and audacity. Enjoy

Around the Net

News From Around the Tour

❌ Coco Gauff split with coach Brad Gilbert after 14 months of working together. While Gauff did win the 2023 US Open with BG’s support, she’s had a lackluster year and been visibly frustrated with Gilbert in big matches. It is unknown who will coach Gauff moving forward.

🔀 Billie Jean King believes these three changes to the game will help grow the sport.

📹 “When you are top 400 in the world, you’ll be happier than when you are top 10 and have everything.” - part of Andrey Rublev’s advice to his younger self in this heart warming video.

😂 Laver Cup was full of rare moments — hilarious reactions from teammates on the bench, an Alcaraz & Dimitrov bromance, Tsitipas & Medvedev having a dinner date, and players coaching players.

😔 Legendary coach Robert Lansdorp passed away at aged 85. He notably worked with Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport, and Maria Sharapova, and helped build a foundation of tennis success down in Southern California.

Memes

Your friends asking if you’re okay after you miss an overhead

Giving myself a 5/10 on the caption for this meme. If you come up with something better, reply to this email!

Answer

C. Jennifer Capriati & the late Matthew Perry

Perry was a long time tennis super fan. Before pursuing acting, he was a nationally ranked junior player in Canada - Top 20 in singles at a certain age group. While he was often spotted in Capriati’s box, the two were never engaged and were known to be just ‘Friends’ 😉