THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2023

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/J. Lehecka

6-4, 6-2 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference of Daniil Medvedev.

Daniil, through to the quarterfinals, maybe not how you would have liked, but just give us your thoughts.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, honestly I played well. During the match I saw that maybe he was struggling a little bit. But with his tennis, he can cause troubles still because he hits so strong. Sometimes he doesn't need to move a lot.

Talking about me, I played great. I served great. I had a good depths on my shots. Yeah, probably the best match of the tournament.

At the same time, of course, when he retired, I realized something was probably bothering him for all the match. It's a pity. Hopeful he can recover fast because he's an amazing player. Yeah, hopefully he can recover fast and play again.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. At what point are you telling yourself that you can win this tournament?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I don't know. I always tell this to myself, to be honest. At the same time we have Novak who won it, what, four times in a row, seven times in total. He's win a lot of Grand Slams.

Since I became maybe top 10, especially since the final against Rafa in US Open 2019, that's the first time where I was like, Okay, that's actually possible to go far in slams. Because I think before US Open I was never in quarters. That year US Open I made final in five sets against Rafa. I was like, Now I'm know I'm able to do anything. So I always believe in myself.

I always want to win these tournaments. Wimbledon was not that successful for me. But now it's already the best result of my career here. I don't want to stop. I'm playing great. I'm looking forward to next matches and I want to try to win for sure.

Q. I wanted to ask you about something else. Not sure if you saw what happened with Azarenka last night. Someone that's dealt with hostile crowds for different reasons, what were your thoughts on that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think big misunderstanding. It's very pity for Vika because she lost 11-9 on the tiebreaker. It's brutal for anyone that loses a third-set tiebreaker, deciding set tiebreaker is brutal.

As she said, I actually liked her response on the press conference, she respected the decision of Svitolina, about not shaking hands. I think the crowd that comes, Court 1 is what, maybe 10,000 people. I actually don't know. They're not all going to know the story behind this. They just saw Vika not shaking hands. That's why I think they booed her. I liked her response where she said it was a great match and let's talk about tennis.

I think it's a pity for sure for her that she got booed, and probably for no reason. But I think the people didn't know the story behind it, and that's why it happened.

Q. Watching you the last eight days, it looked like the way you play and the way you interact with the crowd and speak, you're really connected. You feel well on the court and on the mic. Can you explain with your personality, the two parts of the player you are or the person you are?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I honestly think that the player, let's say interviews after the match, are more me in real life. Very different persons in many aspects. Of course, it's the same me so there are some similarities and connections.

But on the court, if we're talking only about a tennis match, I'm much more, when I say passionate, maybe not like Rafa screaming C'mon and trying to pump the crowd up, but very hot-blooded. 'Hot-blooded' is a good word.

Whereas in real life it's tougher to bring emotions for me. I'm much more like, Whatever. Whatever happens happens. More easygoing.

But, yeah, as I said, starting from when I walked on Court 1 playing against a British player, it was amazing. It helps you. When the crowd is in a way behind you, for sure not disrespectful, it helps a lot to feel great on the court.

I feel like it's true that it's well connected. So I want to try to continue this way because actually just saw my opponent also very well connected to the crowd. Going to be interesting.

Q. About your next game, what do you think about Eubanks? Maybe the moment you are in the best physical condition of your career right now?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Of my career, I don't know. I had so many good tournaments. Some of them the tournaments in a row, which is the toughest. Even this year when I made Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai. Rotterdam-Doha is so tough. It's a six-hour flight, three-hour time difference. It's very tough. Then going to Indian Wells, 12-hour time difference.

I had many, many times in my career where physically I was surprised of myself. After the tournament, I was like, Wow, I managed to do something which I did not think was possible.

Here it's too early to say. I didn't have five-set matches yet. I'm feeling great physically. Which is good.

Talking about Christopher, he's a great player. Miami was his first, let's call it, breakthrough in a way. That's where he went into the top hundred, coming from quallies, made quarters. His best result at the moment.

He played great against me. It was a very tough match. I was on fire. I managed to beat him. But it was a tough one. Here he's on fire again. He just won his first ATP title. Here in the quarters beating Stefanos five sets, unbelievable.

I know I need to be at my 100% and absolute best physically, tennis-wise, and mentally to try to beat him.

Q. Can we say he is like a 1990s player because he played some chip and charge, volleys, then mix it?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I didn't see '90s. I saw kind of starting, I always said, from Safin era kind of. They already I feel like then. So I didn't see Sampras play a lot.

Already back then I think players played a lot from baseline. Maybe a little more aggressive than now, but still a lot from baseline.

He definitely has a different game to other players. Relies a lot on his serve, and serves great. Is not afraid to go to the net maybe even after let's say many people of my generation, we tend to go to the net after a good shot to try to finish the point. He is not scared to make a bad shot and still to go to the net and try to finish the point there.

Definitely a little bit different from other players. Also one-handed backhand. Close to the line. Going to be interesting. I will try to deal with what he can produce at my best.

Q. You often say 'anybody can make a good week'. You go down to No. 250 in the world, there's a lot of talent there. Chris has had a real rise. You have an interesting view of it because you played him in Miami. Would you say what he's done over the past three months, that he's proven he's not one of these guys who's just had a good week? Is this long enough when you're evaluating someone or do you want to see six months or a year?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, first of all, I would generally say, yeah, probably a year or even two is always better because a lot can happen during this time. The thing is that after playing Miami, he went on some challengers. I don't know if he won one or not, but he lost some also. Probably was still having some ups-and-down moments.

Again, what we are sure about is right now it is his up moment. Probably after this tournament, of course it depends on how he does later, but I would guess he's somewhere near top 30 with the results he's doing, maybe top 50 for sure.

But, yeah, and talking like kind of about my perspective, I know that I'm playing someone very dangerous in the quarterfinals who is on the rise right now. I kind of don't care if in three months he's going to play even better or even worse. What matters is two days after for me. I hope he's not going to be on absolute fire. Or if he is, I hope I'm going to be, too.

Yeah, I'm just going to try to do my best to beat him.

Q. We heard you watching that match. You watch a lot of tennis. Is that how you normally react? Is there anyone you actually pull for when you're not in the tournament?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: When I'm not in the tournament, I don't watch. I feel too bad in a way. Either I lost or I was not able to play. I just like to disconnect from tennis. I like to do different stuff. I very rarely watch tennis if I'm not in the tournament.

But contrary to this, if I'm still in the tournament, I absolutely love watching tennis matches. For sure watching opponents. Maybe you can see where he serves on the break point, even if we're all capable to change.

It depends. 5-4, two break points to save. I was reacting because it's a tennis match, it's adrenaline going, I know how it is. They had some good points or even bad misses. I was reacting.

If it would be first game of fourth set, I would not react like this. Yeah, I'm capable of reacting like this, especially if the match interests me.

Q. About Novak, first time you play against him, you said it takes some time to get used to him. Do you think you're the same kind of player? Chris, having played you, will help him out?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, I don't think I'm the same just because my results are not the same that Novak's. Who did I play lately for the first time? I mean, Jiri today. He got injured.

I won't remember. I think that was the first time I played Korda this year and I lost, so maybe not the same as Novak.

Generally speaking, no, I actually don't know how to answer this. I just hope the same, that maybe the first time I beat him, didn't give him too much information, and I can try to do it again. But we can only know the day after. Let's see. It's going to be interesting.