Daniil Medvedev teases retirement after latest US Open heartbreak

Daniil Medvedev put together an impressive comeback run at Flushing Meadows this year, advancing to the second week without surrendering a single set. However, he suffered a lopsided loss to Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16, conceding that a fourth-round exit fell short of his own expectations. Medvedev is a former world No. 1 who claimed the US Open title back in 2021. Yet he entered this year's tournament largely off the tennis radar, having suffered first-round exits at both the Canadian Open and the ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem. While his progression to the second week of the US Open was still a positive sign, the world No. 8 made clear that reaching the round of 16 simply isn't sufficient, adding that if he ever finds himself content with that outcome, it might be time to hang up his racket. • US Open star quit tennis at 20 and became nun after 'throwing' Grand Slam final • Vanessa Trump hits Tiger Woods with deal-breaker in foul-mouthed ultimatum "It's like today's match. It's not bad, but if I'm happy with the fourth round, I better stop playing tennis," Medvedev said after losing 7-6, 6-4, 7-6. The former champion maintained a measured perspective on his overall campaign this year, acknowledging it exceeded his initial expectations. Nevertheless, he remained dissatisfied with his display against crowd favorite Tiafoe. Medvedev explained: "I'm not happy with the result. I'm happy with the way I managed to turn things around, kind of. Frances Tiafoe beat Medvedev in straight sets -Credit:Getty "Played three good matches. Maybe if you talk about rankings, [my] first two opponents, coming from qualies, wildcard. "But Arthur [Rinderknech] is a tough opponent, and I managed to beat him three sets to love. But today, disappointing match, disappointing level. "So I'm definitely not happy, but it's maybe a bit better than what I would expect after the three US tournaments before." While it may take several days for Medvedev to process his comprehensive loss to Tiafoe, the 30-year-old remains focused on building momentum heading into the Asian swing, maintaining aspirations of capturing additional major championships. "I think that's the beauty of sport. Tennis is anything can happen in a matter of a couple of weeks. Sometimes it's magic," he added. "At this moment, I guess I'm doubting myself a little bit, and that's the case of today's match. You know, we can talk about Frances, we can talk about me, but the reality is I lost three sets to love, and I know I can play 10 times better than I did today. "Was it a bad match? No, but I can play so much better. If I want to win Grand Slams, I need to play better. "That's basically it. I do believe I can, because I show it from time to time on the tennis court. But I just need to become more consistent and play better more times."