THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2024

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/A. Muller

6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Daniil, good to get the win today. How are you feeling?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Was not easy match. I felt like he played very good. I didn't play my best level. The match became very tough. There were some moments where, yeah, the match could turn into his favor even more.

But I'm happy that I managed to still stay composed as I could. I still served pretty well. I think he finally broke me only two times in the match, which is still good in four sets.

Yeah, just happy with the win. Happy to be here in two more days and try to play better level, get used to Centre Court. Looking forward to next round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Underarm serves, I think he did two.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Two or three, yeah. Two or three. Two for sure.

Q. He was saying he kind of practiced that. Is that something you're conscious of now or do you accept that is something that can happen like a dropshot?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: First serve you're kind of surprised. Still I was on both serves I could do better. For me, it's like same. It's a decision that, like, he makes. Again, it's like enormous shot. Both of them I was on the ball, so I could do a bit better and win the point. I didn't.

Then I was a bit more ready. I think if he would do one more, I could do better actually. He didn't maybe because of this. Maybe because he was conscious also that I was a bit ready. It's okay.

I just wanted to serve myself for the match, but didn't get the chance. If I would be like 40-Love or 40-15, I would do one myself just to laugh. I didn't get the chance, it's okay (smiling).

Q. What happened there in that first set tiebreaker?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I thought it was 6-4. I was serving `to other side. It was 5-3. I thought it was 6-4. Yeah, I got very frustrated with myself, with him actually playing that good. 2-0 on the tiebreak, I make amazing return, he's behind, let, over. He made I think 12 lets today. It's unbelievable.

I got really, really frustrated with myself, the situation, the match, the set. I had a lot of break points. I don't think he had many, maybe one. I had five.

All this together dropped on my head in this tiebreak. So I went a little crazy. I thought the set was gone. I heard referee talking to me. You know, sometimes when you're getting crazy, like, Calm down or something. At one moment I start hearing, Daniil, it's 6-3, 6-3. I'm like, What are you talking about? Then I see the score.

Don't know if it ever happened to me before. Thought it was pretty funny. I thought in my head, Okay, maybe that's my chance, second chance to win it. Then I lost the point, so...

I'm happy that second set I managed to stay much more composed because it was 3-0, two mini breaks for him on the tiebreak. I managed to stay calm and turn the match around.

Q. About the Olympics, are you planning to go to Paris as of now?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: If I'm healthy, 100% will be there.

Q. What went into that decision? We've seen a lot of tennis players deciding not to go to the Olympics.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: For me it was a very easy decision. In Tokyo, I loved the atmosphere, I loved being there, playing there. It's going to be even different in Paris. Because Tokyo was COVID, no people, closed atmosphere, and I loved it. So I'm sure it's going to be even more fun in Paris.

I know if I'm thinking strictly about my personal career, it's better to go to Canada, prepare hard courts, et cetera. When I'm 40, if I can say I played in Tokyo Olympics, Paris Olympics, Los Angeles Olympics, I had a lot of fun in my life, my career, I'm going to be happy. I'm going to prepare a lot doubles and mixed doubles, because I do believe I have more chances there than in Roland Garros singles.

I'm going to have a lot of fun, enjoy playing. I look forward to it, yeah.

Q. Hurkacz, you played him here three years ago, a five-setter. You played him at AO this year in a five-setter. What is it about his game that you respect and what is it that troubles you?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's the same that I respect and that the trouble comes from and I don't like, is his serve. I don't think anyone likes to return Hubie's serve. On grass it's even tougher to return it.

We had some big matches throughout the years, like some tough ones. Again, I think at one moment in this year it was like fourth tournament of the year, he played 25 tiebreaks already or something like this.

He has big serve. It's tough to return. He can play well from baseline also. A little bit up and down but he can play well. In Halle he played well.

Big opponent. Big player. In Wimbledon, you don't want him in your part of the draw. I don't think he's in mine, but yeah.

Q. Obviously Carlos is the reigning champion. What is it like facing him, how that's different compared to against the other top guys?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Carlos has a very big quality, like power quality. When he was really young, like 17, he could miss a lot. He has these crazy shots, but at least he misses. Now when he's in the zone, he doesn't miss much.

We saw it in Roland Garros. I watched a bit of semifinal and final, not the whole match. You could see that some moments he was missing, struggling. That's amazing because he played two big, top players, Jannik and Sascha. Even not playing his best and missing, every time he would hit a rocket in the court, the other guy would be in such trouble.

That's his big quality, very, very strong shots, doesn't matter little bit the position. He's very easy generating power from slow balls, which sometimes many players have trouble. You can use it. You play like a slow ball, you know at least you have the chance to stay in the rally. With Carlos, no. There is no chance. That's his biggest quality in my opinion.

Q. About Jannik, your thoughts there?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: A bit different, but kind of same. Big quality of strokes. In a different way, like the motion is different, so the way the ball is coming to you is different. I would say that even if Jannik has very big power, Carlos has even more.

Jannik same, he managed to find, since little bit the end of last year, in Canada I would say where he won his first Masters, missing less. We always knew it's tough to play him. He can hit winners from every position of the court, but he could miss. Now he doesn't miss much. He can hit winners from every position of the court. It's not easy.

In order to beat him, you know you have to step out there, you need to be able to hit winners from any position of the court yourself. You need to be able to support the rally.

It's not easy to play them, but it's a great challenge. They are great champions already of the sport. They have big career ahead of them to make history.

Q. Who do you fear the most between these two players?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I would say not fearing them. I did lose a lot to them. It's okay, they have big quality. Every time I go, no fear. I just want to go for it. Like same with Jannik. We played two times this year. In Australian Open, no fear. In Miami, no fear. Two different results.

Very, very tough to say. I would say if we talk strictly, it's not even talent, 'talent' is not the right word, but I would say quality of the shots, I would say Carlos, I never saw something like this. I would say bit more up and down than Jannik. They have a great rivalry even. Again, Roland Garros, five sets. So great rivalry.

I will try to put trouble to them. I don't like to make predictions. I have in my head the prediction of who is going to have more Grand Slam, et cetera, but I don't want to say it out loud. Let's see later.

Q. It's just us here.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Maybe when I finish my career, so I'm out of here, locker room, I'll be like, Now I'm saying it. I will see who has more Grand Slams.

I'm joking (laughter).

Q. How do you feel your serve is coming along this year?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Tough to say because my serve was also always the best on hard courts. On grass courts and clay, I could serve well sometimes, like Rome last year, and sometimes it could be down and bring me down.

I feel like honestly I'm in a good place with my serve. I remember a lot of matches this year where my serve helped me. Even Australian Open, like all the matches, it was a bit up and down. I got broken many times. There was a moment in every match where I managed to zone, in against Zverev, for example, two sets to love, didn't lose a serve afterwards, won two tiebreaks. Kind of same with Ruusuvuori a little bit.

I feel like I'm getting in a way back to where I always was. Not the best server on tour, but quite good, up there. I'm pleased with that. For sure I hope it's going to be my best serve in US Open swing, and here also.

Q. What is it about the grass that feels different for your serve?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: For whatever reason, the grass is tougher to return because the ball slides through the court. For example, Novak is really good with it. His serve is 200, 205, but it really slides through the grass. Very tough to return.

Mine does it on hard courts. That's why it's tough for guys to return. It slides well, I can use mixed, et cetera. On grass court, I don't know why, in my opinion, it doesn't slide like other players. I'm trying to work it a lot. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. That's my opinion. That's why I serve a bit worse on grass.

Q. Yesterday we had Marketa in, she lost in first round as defending champion. How did you find it at the US Open in 2022? How different a dynamic is that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, to be honest, US Open I always feel good. I played Nick. I could have won the first set. I lost it. Little bit got tired second set, which was strange for me because usually I'm good on hard courts to not get tired. The other opponent gets tired. He played well this tournament. It was first round.

Against Nick, I could have done better. That's how tennis is. Honestly, I felt well. That's the only Grand Slam where I was the reigning champion. So, yeah, I mean, for sure it's never easy.

I didn't see the match, but I heard the other girl played well. That's always a little bit tricky. The other girl, she plays on Centre Court, she plays reigning champion, she will go for it. If you're not on your best day, sometimes you lose.

Q. What would you say is the biggest thing that changed for you because you became a Grand Slam champion?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I would say the biggest thing is same like little bit with Olympics: I have it. We have many big champions that were in the final many times and didn't manage to do it. You always have a strong opponent out there. It's tough. You need to win seven matches. Some people achieve 24. Some people achieve none. Some great champions didn't win any Grand Slams.

I'm happy that I have this mark in my career. Till I play tennis, I will try my best to get more. How many, I don't know. I had chances to do already. I didn't make it. But I'm going to try again.

Yeah, for me it's a very important achievement. I have the cup at my home. I see it. Whatever happens, I can always say I am a US Open champion, and I'm pretty proud of that.

Q. Do you let your daughter play with it?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's not closed behind the glass. If you see Instagram stories, there's bars there. She doesn't fancy it yet. But I would let her. In a way, I don't care. These things, they matter to me. But if my daughter breaks it, I will be like, Okay, doesn't matter. No problem.