The Albany Gazette - Potential return to No.1 after Wimbledon ban 'very strange' - Medvedev

The ATP and WTA tours announced last week they would strip Wimbledon of ranking points in response to the ban, clearing the way for Medvedev to again replace Novak Djokovic at the summit.

"Very strange," second seed Medvedev said after beating Argentina's 103rd-ranked Facundo Bagnis 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the French Open.

"There are no points, I become number one, well, great for me. If there are points, I cannot become number one, I'm going to be gutted," said the US Open champion.

"It is what it is. I cannot change some decisions, both about ATP and Wimbledon."

The 35-year-old Djokovic stands to lose the 2,000 points he earned by winning Wimbledon last year. He has already lost 2,000 points by not being able to defend his Australian Open title.

Medvedev, who reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2021, trailed Djokovic by 680 points going into Roland Garros, where the Serb has another 2,000 points to defend as the reigning champion.

"I need to be honest, but yeah, as I said last time, I'd be really happy to play Wimbledon," said Medvedev.

"I love playing on grass. I will play on grass after Roland Garros. But if I cannot, I mean, just going to prepare for next tournaments, and just follow what's happening there."

Medvedev had already ruled out taking legal action against Wimbledon but said "there are a lot of mistakes" behind the controversial ban.

- 'Logical and consistent' -

"About the ATP decision, it's not easy to comment, but when I read... why they made this decision, I found it very logical what they say at least. This is what I didn't find in Wimbledon explanations," he said.

"I'm not saying which decision is right, but at least so far in explaining their decisions, I found ATP just more logical and more consistent."

Medvedev hit 35 winners and broke eight times against Bagnis, who suffered a nasty slip while serving in the second set and sported a heavily strapped right calf.

"I love Roland Garros, especially since last year," said Medvedev, who had lost in the opening round on his first four trips to Paris before reaching the quarter-finals in 2021.

"I hope this year I can go further."

Medvedev, in the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, ruled himself out as a French Open title contender last week after losing his only match on clay this year in Geneva on his return from a hernia operation.

The Russian underwent surgery at the start of April after losing in the quarter-finals in Miami.

"Honestly it's going really well because when I went under the operation I didn't think I was going to play on clay, but I managed to get back and play last week," said Medvedev.

"Physically I feel 100 percent, So I hope to play well."

Medvedev, who rose to world number one for three weeks in February and March, will next play Serbia's Laslo Djere.

(S.G.Stein--BBZ)