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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 13, 2019

Daniil Medvedev

Cincinnati, Ohio

D. MEDVEDEV/K. Edmund

6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Washington and Montreal finalist, playing here, how are you feeling holding up? It's a lot of tennis in a short amount of time for you.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, physically was a bit tough today, but I played great tennis still. I could have won a little bit easier maybe, but Kyle stepped it up in the second set, was serving for the set finally, I think.

I'm happy to get through in the two sets, and usually this first round they help you get into the tournament, and hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be even better.

Q. Are you feeling like you're playing some of the best tennis of your career right now?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Maybe. I cannot say that, like, yes, it's definitely the best tennis I have had in my whole career, because already starting last year at the end of the year I had some great tournaments and matches. But what I'm doing is definitely really consistent, and I'm totally happy about it.

Q. When Tsitsipas was asked to describe your game the other day, he said it's a weird game but in a good way. You make people miss without realizing or understanding why they miss. Do you feel your game is unorthodox?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, completely. That's actually my role on tour. That's what I'm doing. I'm trying to make people miss with kind of shots that they are not used to playing, I would say.

Many, many matches I won just because people don't get used to it and just miss many shots. I'm consistent, so I completely agree with you, yes.

Q. You gave a lot of hope to lower-level tennis players by putting into practice a very easy maxim: hit the ball to his backhand. Were you just always going to focus on Kyle's backhand?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I mean, everybody knows that Kyle's forehand is much stronger than his backhand. Of course I didn't want to run all over the court, so as soon as I hit to his forehand, I had to run (smiling). I didn't want to run, so that's why.

Yeah, as I say, every match that I play I try to find a weak spot in my opponent, and I try push it there to basically win the match. And that was the case in the last two games I played with him.

Of course I played more to his backhand. At the same time, I needed to mix it up with the forehand sometimes to not let him get used to it.

Q. You and Khachanov are in the top 10. Russian women have been good for a long time. It's been a while for the guys. Can you talk about the coverage that you and Karen are getting back home?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, it's great achievement from us. You know, maybe we don't maybe realize it, but I think for the country it's huge. Especially now we are the only country that has two countries in the top 10. We only want to get better.

But, yeah, we also played in the semifinal of Masters. I think first time in the history two Russian men played in the semifinal of Masters. That's just a huge achievement for the country, and hopefully we can only be better for ourselves and for the country to inspire small kids to play tennis in Russia.

Q. How did you learn to play the way you do? Was it a specific coach or...
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Tough question. I don't think anybody knows how to answer how did they learn to play. I mean, I had, I would say, five coaches in my life, I think, and I don't know who exactly taught me this technique.

I can say that the first coach I had, one woman in Russia, she taught everybody who was in her group, and it was like a group of 10 kids. When you're young you don't have individual coach. She taught us to fight till the last ball, and that's what I did throughout all my life on the tennis court.

I mean, that's huge. Talking about my game and technique, I would say the most impact, it was still my coach who I am with right now, because we started when I didn't have any ATP points. He has the hugest impact on my game.

Q. You came here on a jet with Kyrgios and Tsitsipas. Interesting group.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, it was from Washington to Montreal.

Q. How was that?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I mean, normal (smiling). In which way, we are kind of focused on our teams. I was talking to my coach, and Nick was talking to his friend or somebody. I don't know if it's his coach. Stefanos was staying with his family, so it was just a nice chat. I mean, it's nice from the tournament to do it, because that's why we arrived fresh in Montreal. That's why I could show some great tennis there.

Q. When you talk about scouting opponents or finding their weaknesses, are you doing that before the match, is it from your coach, during the match? Where does the preparation come for?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, usually before the match we discuss kind of what is my game plan. I always say on the tour if you don't play an 18-year-old wildcard, you know how everybody plays. Everybody knows my weak spots, also.

There are other things that -- I mean, you are playing Rafa, you know not his weak spots but what you shouldn't do, and still you lose 6-3, 6-0. Doesn't change much. You need to play some great tennis.

But basically, yeah, as I say, I know every opponent I'm going to play, so just before the match, the day before the match with my coach we sit down, kind of discuss the tactics, and it works many times.

Q. What do you think happened in that match, 6-3, 6-0 match with Nadal?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: He played great. I started good, started good. Had breakpoint in the first game. And even talking about first set, I only lost with one break, which is close. You know, in tennis one break is always close. You never know what's gonna happen.

But during the match, the momentum was changing totally. I was kind of losing energy, losing focus, and Rafa was only getting better and better. Actually, that's what happened in three -- yeah, three matches that I had in Montreal but in my side, and that exactly happened against me.

Q. Coming back to Russian tennis, do you have any recent interaction with Davydenko, Safin, or Kafelnikov?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, Davydenko was with Karen in Washington. I was with Igor Andreev for the clay court season, assistant coach. With Marat, I haven't talked too much, because he's not that close to tennis at this moment, I think.

But otherwise, when I see them, I mean, that's legends of our country. They achieved amazing things. It's always funny just to talk to them. Not about tennis. Just to see how they are and what person are they.

Q. Throughout the year, who are some of the players on tour you like to practice with most? And what are some of the things you look for in a practice partner?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Actually depends, because sometimes you know that you're gonna play -- for example, I think I was playing -- I remember somewhere I played a big server, so I tried to find another big server to practice. When you know your draw, you try to sometimes get opponents who play the similar style, but at the same time, as I say, it's never gonna change the outcome of a match.

So it's my coach arranging the practice probably like for 99% of the players, and he decides. He talks to other coaches. I just go out, practice, hit some balls, and get ready for the match.

Q. I have heard quite a few people say you have good interviews. In general, do you like talking?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I like interviews if you don't ask me any inappropriate questions (smiling). I like to talk. I find it kind of funny that I can express myself and hopefully show my personality.

I usually try not to lie or fake anything. Maybe I do it sometimes but try not to. And, yeah, in general, I like it.

Q. You said in Washington that after the final it was the first week you never had gone crazy at all during a tournament. Just to get an update, how was Canada on the craziness factor?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I didn't get crazy at all. I got a little bit tight with match with Karen but doesn't have anything to do with being nervous.

With Rafa, I was a little bit disappointed with myself, but again, I mean, I'm good right now (smiling).

Q. Does it feel nice not going crazy?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It feels much nicer, but as I said, it doesn't mean that one day, maybe tomorrow, I'm not gonna smash three racquets. But I'm working on it, and hopefully I can continue it for a long time and I can continue it for as long as possible.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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