	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

CITI OPEN

August 4, 2019

Daniil Medvedev

Washington D.C.

N. KYRGIOS/D. Medvedev

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations, on a great week, Daniil. You said on the court after the match that when you're winning -- you told Nick when you're winning you're happy, and you said also that it seemed like he wanted to play this week. How could you tell that he had a different demeanor and attitude? What was different about him this week that maybe he's not like the other weeks?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Oh, he just -- I think everybody could see it. Just look at him on the TV. He was determined and it seemed like he wants to win. And that's what we don't see all the time, and that's why he played good this week.

Q. There was such a small margin of error throughout the entire match. No service breaks resulting into the tiebreaks to decide the set. Were you surprised the way the match flowed like that? That neither you nor him were able to break the other person's serve and get an advantage?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, I think neither of us are surprised or were surprised because we both serve big. We both are good after the serve. So even if you return the ball on the court, it's tough to win a point against us on the serve.

And that's why it was a tough match, as you say, with a small margin. Just two tiebreaks, zero breakpoints. And he managed to be better on the tiebreaks today. I did some few mistakes that I shouldn't have done, and he didn't do it, and that's why he won.

Q. Thanks for coming in. Congratulations on the week. Can you describe the challenge it presents to an opponent when you play someone whose level of effort, fitness, and tactics vary so dramatically from one game to the next? I think at one point today he served a 140 mile an hour ace and the next point was the underhanded serve. It must be a challenge to find a happy medium, but can you shed light on that?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, it's not easy, but especially it's not easy if you are not feeling good. If you are feeling good, like I was feeling today, it was kind of okay. I played good, just, as I say, probably two or three mistakes from me decided the match.

And so his game didn't disturb me today, which would not be the case if I would be feeling bad. So today it didn't disturb me.

Q. Where were you and what was going on with Nick and his back and stretching it during changeovers, reaching for it during points, and then, of course, he had the medical time-out. How much were you aware of that, how much do you pay attention to that, and does that affect you at all?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I try to not pay attention to that, but, actually, I think he had something because he started serving a little bit slower. He gave me more time. So I actually could have made some benefits from it, which I didn't do.

So it didn't bother me, but I think it was a benefit for me which I didn't use, finally, because I know how it is. I can also be blocked in the back or have the pain in the leg, but you can serve. And that's what he did and that's why it was still tough.

And then after the medical time-out, I think he was feeling better. And even when he was feeling better, it was the same match. Zero breakpoints tiebreaks. So I was aware of it, but didn't change any outcome of the match.

Q. Can you say right now would it be for you easier to play against Stefanos, taking into account your head-to-head with him?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, even not taking the head-to-head, it's for sure easier at this moment for me to play against Stefanos. I kind of like his game, the way it suits me. I like to play against him.

And against Nick is tough just because, I mean, I have -- in the service, I put him together with Karlovic, Raonic. Not even, like, just after them. I put them together, and it's tough to play him.

Q. Was there any distinct difference between how you approached the first tiebreak and the second tiebreak? Did you try to change strategies or change anything up in the second tiebreak?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No. The most important was to serve good and to be solid. And I think first tiebreak I was closer to win than the second one, and I'm a bit disappointed about the first one.

Second one, he was just probably better than me, more solid. I mean, last four serves was an ace, no? I think one I touched the ball, but he served all of the first serves in. One second serve I got it, actually. I got the mini-break.

So I did all what I can, and I'm just disappointed about the first tiebreak. I think I should have won it with the double break up.

Q. So now you're No. 8 after this week. I'm curious in terms of goal --
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: In the race or?

Q. No. Oh, sorry. No. 9. Sorry, sorry. I knew you went up one spot. So I'm curious in terms of your goals, how you set goals, whether you set them, you know, for the whole year, whether you reset them once you reach, let's say, top 10 or something like that, or whether you set them per surface, you know, for the clay swing, the hard court, et cetera. What kind of thinking do you have in terms of goals?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: My first goal, I always say this, is to win every match I play no matter if it's a first round or final like today. Because to get to the final, you need to win every match you play before.

So my first goal is to win every match I play. That's how you can get points, and that's how you can get money, and that's how you can go up the rankings. So that's the main goal for me. And if with this goal then I can be either top 10, but I am top 10 already, so this goal is done.

I mean, I would be happy if I will be in the Masters in the end of the year, but I will not think about it too much. I will take match by match.

Q. Congrats on a great week. You had a very pleasant and enjoyable speech after the match, and I was wondering, because a lot of players after losing a tough and tight match, they would not be so positive. How were you able to be so positive and upbeat after this sort of match?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I don't know. It's just I think I'm kind of easygoing after a tennis match even when I lose. I can be crazy on the court. I can be straight after the match.

But after, like, some minutes, like, say 10, 30 minutes, I'm like, Okay, it's just a tennis match, finally. I mean, it won't change my life probably. It's not something that a disaster happened.

And especially, I mean, this match, as we say, was really close. I'm disappointed to lose. I'm never happy to lose. But, okay, I need to go to Montreal now and try to win some matches there.

Q. You probably haven't looked at the Montreal draw but maybe you have.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I have, of course.

Q. Okay. So you know that you could potentially face Nick again in the second round. I'm just curious what your reaction was when you saw that.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, I saw it before we went in the final. I saw it before the semifinal. I think after I beat Marin, I saw it.

Well, as I say, it's never easy to play Nick. I hope Kyle wins, as easy as this.

(Laughter.)

But if not, I need to be ready.

And, I mean, the match today showed that we're kind of at the same level, I guess, and that it's just few points that decide the match. So that's going to be the case there also.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297