DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 4, 2023

Daniil Medvedev

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/A. Rublev

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. (Question regarding Daniil's trophies.)

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: So tough to say. I would have to say US Open, for sure, just because it's a Grand Slam, not even for the trophy.

It's tough to say because I have them where myself is looking at the trophy. There is a TV. I can see all of them.

It's tough to pick top three, but I'll pick Cincinnati because we use it for the flowers, when I buy my wife some flowers, so that's fun. Just because I won it today, let's put this one in the top three.

But actually I love all of them.

Q. You've achieved so many different things in your career. How unique is this stretch for you?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Kind of unique I think because I don't think I ever won three tournaments in a row. I was one time six finals in a row. I won three of them, and only two in a row. Great.

Especially amazing because, as I say, tennis is weeks, weeks, weeks after weeks. For example, if I'm losing Indian Wells early, I probably straightaway lose the confidence. That's sometimes how tennis is.

What I'm saying is after Australian Open, tough loss, three sets to love. I was feeling bad. I was doubting myself before Rotterdam. I was not feeling good at all.

I have a story. I went to one of the Russian guys getting ready for my match with Davidovich Fokina. I won't tell you who it is. I was like, C'mon, man, tell me how to win a match.

He was like, You know better than me.

I was like, No, I don't know anything at the moment.

Now, after every tournament he's texting me, Is it okay now?

I feel ashamed. But that's how tennis is. I managed to keep some confidence going and I'm really happy about it.

Q. We know the stats, but were you aware you had lost nine in a row against top-10 players before this last month?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I knew I didn't win for a long time. I think, if I'm not mistaken, after Rafa loss, I didn't win against top-10 players. I knew I'm capable of because there was a stretch when I was on a 20-match win streak. I won, like, 12 times in a row against the top 10. I knew I'm capable of doing this.

So these statistics, they don't get into my mind. When you can change the statistic, that's good.

Actually I saw one crazy one that I lost 5-3 against Novak when he's No. 1. I'm 0-6 when he's not No. 1. I'm like, Stay No. 1 as long as you can. If I can play you when you're No. 1, will be better (smiling).

Q. How perfect was the match, the final?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think was great. Was great from my side. A lot of opportunities I had, I managed to make them. Second set he started playing better in the beginning, so I was like, Okay, just stay there and try to put pressure on him. I managed to break him. That's when it got tougher for him.

Tactically I managed to play well. I managed to play aggressive when I needed to, some good passing shots. Really happy with the level.

When you beat someone like Andrey 6-2, 6-2, you need to be happy and that's it.

Q. You pulled off the hat trick. Three tournaments in a row. How much will that affect the confidence? Do you think you are back to your highest level?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: The way I play these three tournaments was top level. Especially Dubai was probably the best out of the three. I was really playing well. Again, beating Novak and Andrey, the scoreline I managed to do, the confidence I managed to do it, was amazing. So right now I'm feeling amazing.

As I said, tomorrow long flight to Indian Wells. New tournament, new story. Want to win some matches there. Of course, want to win the tournament, but there is only one winner, so that's not easy.

The more I can achieve this season, the better. If I can manage to keep the level I played these three weeks, I can do big things and I know about it.

Other players, they want to win also, so it's not going to be easy.

Q. This trip has been amazing. Came early in the season. What is it going to be like tomorrow for you? Is it going to be relief? Satisfaction? Pressure?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Definitely no pressure. Otherwise than the pressure that every tennis players puts on himself with what I say. Next tournament I think is Indian Wells. When you are bye, starts Friday or Saturday. The day before you always put pressure on yourself. You want to win.

You can always play a tricky opponent, qualifier who is used to the conditions. There is always pressure, but I won't put more pressure because I won these tournaments.

I just want to try to keep this confidence going as long as possible. I was able to do it a few times in my career before. I want to try to continue doing it this way.

It feels great. It feels great to be back on the winning road. I'm not sure what my record for the titles of the season is. It's probably four or five. I already got three, so we'll try maybe to break this record.

It's just a great feeling to have the title.

Q. About your court positioning, the interesting thing is what it does to the player on the other side of the net. Andrey said the main thing that happens is they doubt themselves. Is that a goal for you?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I mean, the goal is to win. I'm just trying to find the best shot. As I say, I could stay kind of like Novak, on the line returning, and I'm sure I would win some matches, maybe a lot of matches. But I do think that I would win less than I'm winning right now.

I'm just trying to find the best position for me in order to win matches. For sure I can understand that it's not easy for players because kind of serve and volley seems like a good weapon against me. At the same time, well, I'm capable of doing some passing shots. At 15-40 you're like, Do I go for it? He knows I'm going to serve and volley. It's a little bit mind games.

When you return that far, there is always an open court to the other side. But they also know I'm running there. That's what tennis is. I just try to always find the right solution.

Q. Do you sense when they're doubting on the other side?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Sometimes. Sometimes not. But, yeah, it doesn't change. Sometimes you feel like the person is not doubting, but you're like, I'm going to win like this still.

Q. Who do you see from the current younger generation that are going to take over the place like Federer, Rafa and maybe one day Novak?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I have to say Alcaraz is the best pick because he is the youngest No. 1 in world history. We have guys like Novak, Rafa, Roger, and he beat this record where you kind of thought that there are no more records to beat at the moment.

I watched him in Buenos Aires, I didn't see it in real. The way he hits the ball, it's pure talent. You cannot really practice this. The power he has on the forehand. He can win a lot of things. But, as we saw, he can also lose sometimes. He can get injured. You never know how one career is going to go.

If you asked me, I need to pick him. Holger Rune is super young, has won already a Masters. Playing great also. I saw hum cramping today.

Tennis is never easy. You never know how people's careers is going to go. If I have to pick them two, they are the youngest and the highest ranked.

Q. Rublev was saying you like to read a lot. Can you tell us what do you like to read and what has been your most inspirational book you loved?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I don't know why he said it because I was reading a lot when I was a kid. Maybe that's why I know how to speak well and to say my thoughts because that's important. Everybody can think a lot, but it's important to be able to transfer it into words and to say it to other people.

I will be honest, I don't read a lot right now. Almost not at all. When I knew I'm becoming a father, that was one of the first books I read probably in years. It was about kids, trying to understand a little bit when they're born what they going to do, what's going to happen, maybe how you can try to translate their signals into words.

I'm not sure I succeeded, but I did read it (smiling).

Yeah, I will be honest, I don't have much time to read. If I have this free time, I use it differently.

Q. I'm sure you know other players respect you. When you heard the words specifically that Andrey said on the court, what did it mean to you? How difficult was it for you without the financial support that he was talking about?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, first of all, I mean, with Andrey, we're such great friends. I feel like we have such a great (indiscernible) that you can't actually see on the court because he gets so disappointed when he loses, so it's tough for him straightaway after the loss to do much, to show much appreciation.

The few times I lost against him, I was like, I'm going to do the same. We kind of hug, but it's like we're going to talk later about this.

We have a great relationship outside of the court. When he said this, it was really great to hear. He actually said that he doesn't think he said it face to face, but I feel like he did already.

Talking about financial support, I mean, big thanks to my parents who always supported my career. For sure we had sometimes tougher moments maybe than some other players, especially with Russian federation not helping a lot until you become a high-ranked junior.

My parents were always supporting me on this journey. Even if they probably had some tough moments, I could have knew they had some tough moments, I'm happy that I managed to succeed. Not much more to it.

Q. You said on court that your first tournament with your daughter did not go well.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It was Turin (smiling).

Q. Talk about that element a little bit. How is it being a father on tour?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I'm not going to lie. The more possibilities you have to travel with help, to travel with a lot of people, the easier it is to be a father on tour. I don't think it would be possible.

For example, first of all our baby is really, really calm, so she sleeps a lot. She sleeps like an adult, so we can sleep well. If she would be not like this, I don't think it would be possible to travel with her. So, yeah, she's such a sweet kid, so it didn't change much.

I'm preparing as I am. Actually I was playing in Doha and Dubai only night, so I didn't see one time how she's sleeping. I'm leaving the hotel at probably 1. Spend the morning with her, all fun and easy, then I see her the next morning because I'm finishing so late.

It was just a lot of fun to have her with us here. Hopefully a lot more titles together.