ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

January 7, 2023

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/D. Medvedev

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Despite the loss, can you talk about what you've got out of this week.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Great week. Honestly, losing against probably best player in the world right now. Of course, Carlos in terms of rankings because he's done amazing in one part of the year, 2022. He's first. But also since he's not in Australian Open, Novak probably best in the world right now. He won four tournaments in a row, five tournaments in a row.

Bit disappointed, but that's also positive. I felt great tonight, really great, that's good for Australian Open. But feeling that great, I lost. That's a little bit the negative.

So, yeah, hopefully no Novak on my side of the draw in Australian Open. But even if it's not the case, going to try my best and going to try to do better next time like I was able to do against him before.

Q. What did you feel was different about tonight?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think he played a little bit better and I played just a little bit worse, which I don't know how many unforced errors he made, how many I made. Maybe let's say in my mind, like this five minutes after the match, I made maybe five more than I have to, two double-faults on the break points, the only two break points that he had, I had four. He made one 200 kilometer serve.

Sometimes tennis is about the small, small margins. Some matches I managed to win against him. This one was completely on his side.

Yeah, hopefully the more matches like this on his side, the more the chances that the next one going to turn on mine.

Q. If you do face Novak in the Australian Open, how do you rectify what happened?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I need to be better. That's it. That's what I managed to do in US Open after Australian Open loss. Australian Open was kind of the same. I was on a 20-match streak I think, win streak. Maybe 19, 20, 21. I don't remember. I lost quite easy, to be honest. I was like, Wow, what happened?

In US Open I was like I have to do better, I have to play better, I have to win better, I have to do everything better. I managed to do it.

In case I play him, that's the only thing I can do because, again, sometimes he's unstoppable. You need to play the match of your life to beat him.

Q. What are some of the positives? Do you head to Melbourne confident you can do some damage?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: 100%. I'm actually a little bit in a way disappointed that it was against Novak tonight because if it would be against some other top-10 players, which last year I had some difficulties with, I don't think I made a lot of top-10 wins, I think with the feeling I had this week, I could be back at winning these guys, winning tournaments.

Again, Novak is different league. 20, 21 slams. That's all what we have to say. But generally positive. Need to stay positive because the first slam is coming. Want to show my best. Want to feel great atmosphere like it was here in Adelaide. Looking forward.

Q. You say if there was another top-10 player against the net, you feel you would have beaten them. When we know Novak's record, in Australia in particular, feels like so much against you when you're on the other side of the net. What is the difference between Novak and another top-10 player?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: A few moments when it was tight today where maybe I could get back into the match, I had some matches against him where the momentum was shifting, he managed to put the ball on the line like even the last game, Love-15, 30-15, two serves on the line. Tough to return them.

I think the game I lost, what was it, 15-All, return winner, 30-40 I made a double-fault. I don't remember what was it on 30-All. But, yeah, where some other players would not be able to do it, how does he do it? No idea.

Again, that's why him, Rafa, Roger, it's not even a shame to say that they are better because if you don't say that, then go and win 20 slams and then you can say this.

That was not the case for anybody before them. Even the best ones of the eras before cannot talk much that it's a shame for us to not do the same because they didn't manage to have the same results. Yeah, that's the strengths of Novak.

Q. How hard has it been? When you admit how good these guys are, how do you mentally go out and believe you can beat them?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: That's the only way. You have to believe in yourself. I honestly say before the match. I didn't play Rafa on clay, and I don't like clay, maybe it would be different. Probably not. But I still go out and probably think I want to win, I can win.

Every time I play them, before the match the only thought is I have to win, I have to try my best to win. I managed to do it. Rafa I think I beat only once, but still I managed to do it. I had some tough matches against him, against Novak. Against Novak I won a slam. I believe in myself.

But sometimes on the court it gets tough. Sometimes you don't manage to make the challenge. Tonight is a case. I didn't manage to pass the test. Next time I face him, I'm going to try to do it again.

Q. How quick is the turnaround? What does the next week look like?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: We have a week. I think it's going to be kind of easy. I'm going to see if I go there tomorrow or the day after. Probably going to sleep in well. Yeah, reflect tomorrow with my coach how we going to plan the week in terms of practices, maybe some days off. Yeah, get ready for Melbourne.

I would say it's an easy preparation. But when the tournament starts, it's never easy.

Q. Your thoughts on Alcaraz not being there?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's a pity. I'm not exactly sure what he has, if it's a little bit the consequence of a previous injury or just a new one. I'm not his team, so I have no idea. It's a pity. He's one of the best players in the world. We played once, but he was not at the same level. We might not even count it.

I would be happy to play him. Feeling in my best form. Yeah, the way he played at 18 years old, he could be a little bit kind of Rafa, Novak Roger kind of guy. But he still has 19 slams to win, so it's a pity that he doesn't play the next slam. Would be fun to watch.

I'm sure he's going to come back stronger.