Daniil Medvedev will not begin his European indoor hardcourt season at the 2024 Vienna Open after withdrawing from the ATP 500 tournament.
Medvedev was set to be the No. 2 seed in Vienna. He reached the final of the event last year, losing a thrilling final to Jannik Sinner in three sets that kept fans in attendance on the edge of their seats throughout.
The 2021 US Open champion was involved in the ongoing Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event in Saudi Arabia starring Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner, Holger Rune, and Medvedev.
Djokovic and Nadal received a bye through to the semifinal. On the opening day on Wednesday, Medvedev renewed his rivalry with Sinner while Alcaraz played Rune.
Medvedev had lost seven of his previous eight meetings with Sinner, including seven consecutively on the Russian's favorite hardcourts, heading into their match in Saudi Arabia.
Unfortunately for Medvedev, his fortunes did not improve at the Six Kings Slams. Sinner demolished him to set up a meeting against Novak Djokovic, which the Italian also won after a much tougher battle.
The world No. 1's performance was undoubtedly superb, and he showed why he has dominated on hard courts, particularly this year, but Medvedev made a claim after the match that will split opinions in the tennis world.
The three-time Australian runner-up believes Sinner's best level is slightly better than Alcaraz's. The Spaniard is known for his supreme talent, but Medvedev still rates Sinner's peak performance ahead of Alcaraz's.
Those comments from Medvedev add an additional level of intrigue to the Six Kings Slam final between Sinner and Alcaraz. Djokovic and Nadal will also play each other on the same day for almost certainly the last time before the 14-time French Open champion retires next month.
Despite playing just one match at the exhibition in Riyadh, Medvedev will still receive a whopping $1.5 million. Sinner or Alcaraz will collect the largest paycheck in tennis history for winning the event.
Medvedev won the Vienna Open in 2022, overcoming Denis Shapovalov in the final after losing the first set. His subsequent runner-up placing to Sinner last year shows how well the 28-year-old plays in Austria.
However, Medvedev has withdrawn from the 2024 Vienna Open. The tournament said this was due to a shoulder injury, and the former champion at the tournament made a brief announcement about not playing.
"I have a lot of positive memories of the tournament. So it's a shame that I can't compete, but I'll definitely be playing in Vienna again next year."
Although not confirmed by Medvedev, his participation at the Six Kings Slam might have played some role in his decision. Being in Saudi Arabia and not resting his shoulder if it was an issue would not have been ideal preparation for the Vienna Open.
Alex Michelsen replaces Medvedev at the 2024 Vienna Open. The big-serving American is dangerous when he finds his range. Michelsen should also be suited to playing on the indoor courts in Austria.