DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 3, 2023

Daniil Medvedev

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/N. Djokovic

6-4, 6-4

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Hello, everyone.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Today I saw Novak was running out of answers. He seems to respect you so much from the baseline. He tried to go more to the net. How do you feel about that? What in your game bothers Novak?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think I can run a lot and put a lot of balls in the court. A lot of opponents, maybe even more Novak than some guys let's say like Hurkacz or Cressy who knows their game plan is more to go to the net, that's why they don't care that I put a lot of balls in the court.

Novak, still even if he's amazing at the net, in my opinion, he's not the guy who goes there every second point, so it's a little bit tougher for him.

I think he just, yeah, was trying to find something during the match where he didn't feel his best. We could see it. At least this happens to him also, because sometimes we could not think this way.

That's why he tried different things, because he's a champion. So I knew I had to be ready for this. For example, on 30-15 last game when he made this return winner, I had to be ready, but I didn't think he's going to turn around.

Yeah, he's an amazing player, so I had to stay focused till the last points to win the match.

Q. How would you rate this win in comparison to all of your previous matches against Novak?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Tough to say. I mean, every time I beat Novak is amazing feeling. He's probably the greatest tennis player of all time, or at least one of the two or one of the three, I don't know, one of five, whatever (smiling). Amazing player.

Every time I manage to beat him, is amazing. Of course, beating him in US Open final was my best memory because that's my only slam. To beat someone like him in the final is just a dream come true and forever in my memories.

In terms of this comparison, maybe this one is a little bit less because it's not the final, it's semis. I have an important match to play tomorrow.

But it's always pleasure to beat him. When I say this, it's not in a greedy way, it's just that every time it gives you extra boost of confidence, like, Wow, I was able to beat Novak, I can for sure beat anybody.

Q. How do you look ahead to the match with Andrey? The one in the ATP Finals was a close one.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: First of all, Andrey is amazing player. So not much to say. He's a player that can win Grand Slams, can win Masters. Probably gets a little bit tight in important moments but doesn't get tight on 500s, has a lot of them. I'm not looking for this tomorrow (smiling).

We had some tough battles even when I won. When he won last two times, also tough battles. I'm expecting tough physically match, tough mentally. Have to be at my best, serve well, try not to give him too easy balls because that's where he's the best.

I saw his last two matches. He seemed to hit the ball great. So very dangerous player. Great guy. I'm looking forward for a great final.

Q. You just came from Doha. Similar conditions, similar balls. Will that be an advantage to beat Novak here?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think in the semis honestly it doesn't matter because we both had three matches to play here. Especially with someone like Novak, usually one match is enough for him to feel at his best, or sometimes zero matches actually (smiling).

I don't think that made a difference.

Q. You are in the third final. What is the secret and what is it you're doing differently in the last three tournaments?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I managed to get the confidence going. A lot of times I'm just hitting some good shots, some right decisions.

I mean, the biggest example, if the guy is at the net, of course I still lost some points today, but there are some matches where you lose a match just because you were always hitting at the guy and he was always choosing the right side. You're like, How is it possible that not one time I can choose the right side?

Now I feel like a lot of points I can choose the right side to make a passing shots, I can hit some maybe returns on the line to make the opponent play. That's what confidence is. I know how it feels.

I feel like I kind of know how to keep it going. At least few times in my career I proved I can do it. That's what I'm trying to do right now, is just continue to ride the wave.

Q. I don't know if you believe in such a thing as 'in the zone', but if you do, were you in it today?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I actually don't think I was in the complete zone. For example, I feel like in US Open I was playing much better. I was a few moments kind of not tight, I'm never really tight, but let's call it under pressure because Novak, I felt like even if he doesn't feel his best, he was missing some shots, I felt that he wants to come back.

It's his first loss of the season. I know how it's important for him to break all these records. For sure he wanted to go for more. I felt like he will fight till the end. That puts a lot of pressure on you because you know he's capable of doing crazy things.

There were few small moments, especially on his serve, when I had the break where I was like I had to do better, and that's what I managed to do in US Open. But still I was playing pretty good.

For example, the point at 30-All in the last game, yeah, that was pretty lucky. When you have this confidence, sometimes you make these kind of shots.

So, yeah, hopefully I will be even more in the zone tomorrow.

Q. Would you say you have the edge against Andrey in a mental battle when it comes to controlling your emotions, frustrations?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think if we talk about long-term, so whole career let's say, even if I do have some problems sometimes, I feel like I'm a little bit more composed. I feel like that's what he's missing. He sometimes gets I don't want to say nervous, too stressful, and you can see it.

But again in one match this doesn't matter. I played him in Turin. I think if I'm not mistaken he was bleeding in the hand because he was beating the racquet. He managed to make amazing last two points and win the match.

I think in long-term maybe, but tomorrow it will not matter that much.

Q. Do you share some advices or tips with him?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: We are really close, but we're really competitive. I feel like maybe he would be able to do it. I'm not.

We are able to definitely talk as a friends, to support each other. But to give advice is not easy because tomorrow I'm playing in the final against him. If I would give him advice two weeks ago, I would be a little bit stressful tomorrow he would use this advice.

I'm very competitive. I'm capable of being friends, I think people know this on the tour, but to give advice is a little bit too much.

Q. Your return position with Borna yesterday, with Novak today, you're next to the line judges. Do you ever worry you're going to hit them? Is that something you do in practice? What kind of confidence do you need to have in your footwork to do that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, it's not easy but it's something I feel like working well for me. If it would not be working, I would change it.

There was one return today where I thought he's going to go serve and volley. I advanced my position. I'm able to return closer. For example, in Doha there were cameras on the side so I had to be closer. I managed to return well.

But I do like returning further. I am sometimes scared that I can hit a ball boy or line umpire. So just before the return I kind of try to look at the side and find the deepest position I can have without being in trouble. That's why sometimes courts with cameras are not easy for me.

Actually on practice, it's not that too easy to practice this unless you're on the tournament, and even if on the tournament it's not easy because practice courts don't have as big space in the back as central courts.

But I try to be as far as possible, and try to practice it, for sure.

Q. A question about Andrey. I noticed his serve is really big lately.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: True.

Q. Is that a thing you've noticed? Do you know where that comes from?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I think it's already for kind of two years he's serving pretty big. True, which year we are, 2023, maybe 2020 he was kind of serving worse, maybe a little bit less percentage, more double-faults, slower second serve. Now he's a great server, serving a lot of aces, kind of doing big serves.

I actually remember in Turin, which is a very fast surface, but I doubt I broke him, maybe once, but it was very tough to return his serve. That's his strengths, for sure. Kind of serve, first shot.

I think that's what I will have to try to work on tomorrow, to not let him dominate the rallies straightaway.

Q. Novak is very into mindfulness, consciousness. Are you into that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: What is it exactly you mean?

Q. For athletes, they practice breath...

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I don't do exactly this. I do work on my mental side. Last year I was without a mental coach. But I work a lot with my tennis coach on this. Now I am again with a mental coach.

But even if I know this might help, let's say a lot of people, maybe me, these breathing tactics, Yoga, stuff like this, stretching, I'm not too much into this because sometimes I'm not able to be 110% perfect, if we can say like this, do the perfect things.

I do eat desserts. I do go to bed sometimes late playing PlayStation. I can sometimes drink on the weekend with friends. So this is part of why I'm not into it yet, but I'm sure later in my career I'll start doing more.