NITTO ATP FINALS

November 14, 2022

Daniil Medvedev

Pala Alpitour, Torino

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/D. Medvedev

6-7, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: You and Andrey go a long way back. Was this one of the craziest matches you played against each other?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: We had some other ones which were not maybe that much to the edge in terms of the last set, but we had like a US Open where it was two tiebreaks. I think he was up like 6-2 in the tiebreak. We had some tough matches.

Of course, really disappointed to lose. Pretty much happy with the way the match was in general, and looking forward to next matches, to try to win them, get out of the group.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There was just points here and there. Do you think you could have done anything differently to flip that result around?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Not really. Just maybe since the court is so fast, serve better in some moments. When I say 'serve better', it's a little bit tricky. I serve pretty well. If you make an ace on the tiebreak, he doesn't touch it, it's better than like 7-All when he returned it in. If I would go wide, it would be an ace. Well, that's part of tennis. No, just would love to play better tennis at the moment, but didn't feel much confidence before the match.

Again, was good mentally, good attitude. Looking forward to next two matches to try to build the confidence.

Q. You said you didn't have much confidence before the match. A lot of people point to you as the best hard court player in the world. What is it that makes you not have confidence coming onto a court like this?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Super tough to go from Vienna, which is fast hard court, and I generally like fast hard courts more than slow hard courts, to Bercy where it was probably the slowest indoor hard courts. It always is slow, the slowest indoor hard court. Here is like the fastest of the year. Yeah, to get used to it you need matches. That was a match today, so that is why I'm saying I hope the next one is going to be better.

That's why had some mistakes where, yeah, was late on the legs, was late in the movement, took the ball late, yeah, had some errors.

Q. It's been a tough year for you and all the Russian players because of Wimbledon and everything else. Next week there will be a Davis Cup where Russia cannot play. Is it something that still bothers you a lot or you expected it? I don't say you don't care, but is less important than maybe five months ago?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Depends what we talk about. Some things stay important, for sure. Some things are less important.

If we talk about Davis Cup and United Cup also where we cannot play, I was expecting this decision. If we talk about Wimbledon, would think could have been different.

Again, my way of living is I have to take care of myself. I have to do what I have to do, which is I am a tennis player. I want to practice well, try to win matches, try to win tournaments. I'm really disappointed that I didn't manage to do it today.

Yeah, I think life is already a tough thing and you have to focus a lot on yourself also.

Q. There were some extraordinary points played in the match tonight. I don't even know if you noticed some of those rallies created standing ovations. For us watching it, it was fantastic. When you're in the middle of a match like that, are you able to enjoy it or not? Is it just too much happening that you can't?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's a very tricky question because, I don't know, other tennis players, we don't talk too much about tennis. We all want to win. If you leave your secrets, you're going to be more vulnerable.

But there are some matches where you feel like you're untouchable, and you know that everything you do - let's put it this way - turns into gold. Today was not one of them.

If we talk about back to your first question, what could I have done better, same about like an ace. It's easy to say. Some points on the tiebreak were crazy. If I manage to hit one forehand more cross-court than it was, maybe he doesn't touch it, there is no crazy point, I win the point easier.

I didn't feel amazing during the match. I would enjoy it if I would feel better in terms of tennis. But, again, looking back, yeah, some great points. This can make you play better and turn things into gold in next matches.