Daniil Medvedev tells the truth about his professional "hunger" as the father of daughters Alisa and Victoria

Daniil Medvedev, who recently became a father for the second time, revealed whether his goals have changed in harmony with his growing family. The Russian also explained why he valued family time over his professional commitments to postpone his 2025 season.

Medvedev is presently in Rotterdam to bid for his second title after 2023. The event marks his second campaign of the season—the Australian Open being the first. While the former World No. 1 has opted for warm-up tournaments in the past, he decided against competing before the Melbourne Major this time to spend the holidays with family instead.

"I have two kids now. I want to stay at home for the New Year and Christmas, even if I love Australia, every New Year in Australia is starting to get tough," he said in Melbourne.

In that regard, Sportskeeda asked Daniil Medvedev whether his scheduling decisions were likely to affect his professional goals. The player responded in the negative.

"No, not at all," he said in his pre-tournament press conference at Rotterdam. "Professional goals stay the same."

The 2021 US Open champion insisted that, having become a father for the second time in January, he is “hungrier” to dominate on the tour.

"And I even have, in a way, I’d say more hunger than before," he said. "Let’s see if it helps or not. Because sometimes it does help; sometimes not."

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Daniil Medvedev: "It's a pity that the season doesn't start a bit later"

Medvedev pictured at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam - Image Source: Getty

Daniil Medvedev reiterated that he’s decided not to compete before the Australian Open in the future as he wishes to usher in the New Year at home with his wife, Daria, and his daughters Alisa and Victoria.

"In terms of my shift, I was talking more about especially New Year, because for us Russians, New Year is like Christmas," he told Sportskeeda in the aforementioned press conference.

"And for me, I’ve spent a lot of New Years in Australia and now that I have an even bigger family, every time when I am at home for the New Year I feel like it’s a good feeling," the 28-year-old continued. "It’s super important and at the end of the day I find it more important than to play a preparation tournament in Australia so it’s a pity that the season doesn’t start a little bit later."

In contrast to his decision to cut down on the tournaments played in January, Daniil Medvedev revealed that he plans to compete at six back-to-back events from February onwards. After Rotterdam, the Russian is expected to contest the titles in Marseille, Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami.

"It was strictly about this. For example, now the plan is maybe to play six tournaments in a row, so professional shift is still here," he said, smiling.

Following his surprising five-set defeat to up-and-coming teenager Learner Tien in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open, Medvedev begins his Rotterdam campaign against fellow former champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday, February 3.