ATP star ‘happy to follow in the footsteps’ of idol Novak Djokovic after Next Gen Finals victory
Hamad Medjedovic is the lowest ranked player to win the ATP Next Gen Finals. The Serbian player paid tribute to his idol and mentor Novak Djokovic after winning the biggest title of his career.
Mejedovic won all his matches in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, becoming the sixth Next Generation Finals champion, joining Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner.
The 20-year-old defeated top-seeded Arthur Fils in the final 3(6)4 4-1 4-2 3(9)-4 4-1 to take the championship point in the fourth match. After missing two chances, he recovered well. Round has been aborted.
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After the match, Medjedovic reflected on his victory. Arthur is a great player – there’s a reason he’s in the top 40 – so I’m really happy.
“It was tough after the first set. I changed my clothes, felt better and started playing again. When I had match point in the fourth set, I didn’t play well. I was able to relax. Thankfully, I recovered and tried to relax as much as possible, which I eventually did.”
Djokovic’s financial support of Medjedovic over the years has been well documented, with the 110th-ranked Medjedovic amassing $415,858 in prize money before winning the Next Gen Finals.
However, after going undefeated in Saudi Arabia, Medjedovic more than doubled his prize money to $514,000.
Mejedovic was part of the Davis Cup squad alongside Djokovic last week and paid tribute to the world number one. “We’re both from Serbia. He won the real big Masters (ATP Finals) and I won Next Generation. This is obviously a big thing and to follow in his footsteps in some way. I am happy to be able to do so.”
Djokovic later congratulated Medjedovic on social media, saying: “Hameeeeee Idemooooo” (Let’s go in Serbian).
In the baseline…
This is a big win for Medjedović, who lost badly in the final against the much higher ranked Phils. Although it is not considered an official ATP title, many players, including the aforementioned Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, and Sinner, use it as a major stepping stone. Djokovic is no one’s coach, so in some ways it’s no surprise that Medjedovic’s talent is now blossoming.
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