THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2021

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/M. Cilic

6-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The first time you've ever come back from two sets to love down. Do you think that will give you extra confidence now that you can come through in any situation, you can go all the way?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: A hundred percent because that's probably the toughest thing you can do in tennis, coming back from two sets down in a Grand Slam. That's very tough. You have three sets to go. Probably if you lost the first two sets, your opponent was playing better so you kind of doubt yourself. Okay, how can I do it?

I had two times here in Wimbledon where I came back from two sets to love down, had a break in the fifth and didn't make it.

It was not easy to be there. Luckily I managed to have three breaks in the fifth. I could still lose one and make it at 5-2. But definitely for the confidence and just for my career, for me as a tennis player, as a sportsman, these things, they make you better.

Later when you have - I don't know - final of a Grand Slam to play or anything, it can help you just to be a better player.

Q. Was it luck or a bit stronger mentally today?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's both. Tennis is about everything. Always it's about forehand, backhand, luck. You can touch the net on 30-40. The opponent can make an ace or a double-fault. You can never know. You can touch the line on grass, it will bounce badly.

I was definitely strong mentally because I continued to try to push my way through. I started playing much better in the fourth and especially the fifth set. He dropped his level a little bit.

It's a change of energy. Tennis, sometimes it's tough to understand. I don't want to go into too much details because next match can be different. I'm just happy with the win.

Q. I asked you about your favorite tournaments in the world. I asked what would be your favorite Grand Slam to win. You replied me, No matter, but I have a special feeling for Wimbledon. My question is this one: Do you think it could be your year this year?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I need to be honest. Starting from US Open 2019, I started to be, let's call it, maybe a top player. I was in my first Grand Slam final. I just won Masters 1000 for the first time. I came into the top 10, started to be maybe No. 6 or 7. That's when I started to really believe that I can win any tournament.

So it can be my year. I believe in it, but it's tough. I was two times in the final. I was playing against Novak and Rafa. It's tough to win a Grand Slam.

I think it's going to be the same every year unless you are injured or anything. Coming here I'm going to feel like I can make it. It can be my year, can be next one. Maybe it's never. But I'm going to try my best and I'm going to push my best.

Q. A particular funny moment in the beginning of the fifth set when you told the umpire, I have sun in my eyes. Can we do something? How do you think she could be useful to you in that situation?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Because I didn't know the rules, because I saw one time in Miami, two years ago, Opelka playing Schwartzman, they stopped the match because there was a huge screen and Opelka got the sun in his eyes. They stopped the match.

I didn't know the rule. I asked, Can we wait? Basically the question was more if we could wait till it passes because I didn't know how long it's going to be. I came there for the first point and I couldn't see anything because, like, there was sun in my eye. When you have a sun, try to look at the sun, it's not easy.

Actually what was amazing, I tried to be more lower to try to avoid it. At Love-30 I came back and there was no more sun. It was probably like for one minute or anything.

Yeah, my question to the umpire is, What is the rule? Can we wait or not?

She said, No.

So continue to play.