US OPEN

August 29, 2024

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/F. Marozsan

6-3, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Straight sets, a little over two hours. Not much time on the court. Assess your performance.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It was a tough match. Actually first time we play, and I knew that he can attack well. He's strong.

Actually from matches I saw I thought he would be a little bit worse in defense kind of. No, some points I was one, one, one, and he was running well.

I actually saw after the match that in terms of feet by point, I think we have the record. I didn't see anyone. I made 65. He made, like, 62. So it was very physical, and I'm happy that it was three sets and not more.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You brought up after the match on the court, of course, your famous interview. I see that clip still all the time on the internet. Do you watch it and kind of think, you know, I might win a lot of tennis matches, but I'll probably never be as good as I was that night?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Oh, yeah, that night was one of the best for sure. In terms of my tennis, I mean, to be able to win this match was unbelievable because when I did the bad gesture... which, yeah, I deserved let's call it the hate or the boos this moment... I managed to win the match with Feliciano playing unbelievable this day.

He was playing unreal, and I managed to win it and be in the final. That's where in a way my Grand Slam career started because before I think I was never even in quarters.

So definitely, to be honest, one of the biggest moments of my career maybe, and the interview, it's always great to watch.

I remember (laughing), I think it was Davis Cup 2021 when we won it, and Bublik won one of his matches. He got tense with the crowd a little bit, and he went on to give an interview. He said, I won because of you, et cetera. That was very funny.

Even when some other players quote you, it's something special (laughing).

Q. I remember at the beginning of the season you mentioned you wanted to turn over a new leaf this year, and at the time I was worried because I thought we would lose some of my favorite, most entertaining moments on the court. We're at the last slam of the year now. I was wondering, looking back at the year, do you think you stuck to that promise?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, I will be honest. I didn't manage to do it fully to what I expected. It's okay. It happens. That's life.

Sometimes you want to do something, and you manage to do it. Sometimes not. It was up and down. Some moments I did, and some moments -- I'm not going to name them, but, yeah, for different reasons I didn't manage to do it. But different reasons is more like excuses, but yeah, that's how life is.

I will try again starting here, et cetera. I thought, yeah, many, many times in my life when I give myself a goal, a promise, I manage to do it, but sometimes not. So I say honestly no, but I will try again. But entertainment is going to be there all the time, of course.

Q. I'm writing a piece about practice. I'm curious over the years, you've played practice sets with many players, have you ever experienced much cheating, like calling your own lines?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I have one funny story. I don't know if Taylor remembers it, Taylor Fritz. If he can tell it, you can ask him next press conference from his side.

We played Wimbledon. It would be probably 2018 or '19. So long ago. We both were not where we are right now. Brutally honest, I don't want to cheat on practice, but you know, sometimes you don't see the ball.

It's like a challenge. Today I asked to show replay, and the ball was so much in, and in my head it was really close. Okay, it happens.

So we're playing, and I don't remember exactly what it was, but I called some out where I thought the ball was out. Then my wife -- I think at the time she was even maybe a girlfriend to me -- talks to me after the practice and says that he was talking to his coach and was, like, Damn this guy, he cheats all the time.

I was so shocked because I really, especially on practice, I honestly don't really care if I win in practice set or lose. I always try to win, but whatever.

To be honest, out of everyone on the tour I don't think anyone on practice wants to cheat. So he was, like, apparently not happy with me. At the time we didn't really speak to each other. So we were not like friends. We're still not friends, but I think we're in a good relationship.

So, yeah, that was the story. I was a cheater, I guess. You can ask him about this if he remembers anything. It was Wimbledon practice. But if not, I think no, nobody really wants to cheat.

But when it was under 12 years old and you play the matches without referee, that's brutal. A lot of stories from both sides. Brutal. Like, it's not even cheating. You think the guy cheated, and then he plays a ball in the middle, and you say, Out.

A lot of stories like this. Tennis under 12 is brutal. It prepares you mentally. It's much tougher than ATP Tour.

Q. So you didn't, like, talk to Taylor about this?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, no, so you can ask him. It's not a big deal, whatever. Pretty funny. After practice I was, like, Really? I didn't try to cheat or anything, but yeah.

Q. Tennis, especially this tournament, can have late finishes, early starts, all sorts. How do you manage and maximize your sleep at these events?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's sometimes not easy. Like today. Well, today is fine, but we'll probably still be sleeping at 1:30, which is not ideal, but it's okay.

I always said that especially on Grand Slams, I understand that 7:00 is the prime time, but I would be -- I think it's better to make a 6:00 p.m. start and like this.

If a woman match and then men match goes five hours or something, even if it's not three hours, but 2:00 in the morning, it's always better. So one hour can save your life in the tournament for the next round.

Me, I just try to do what I do. Tomorrow I'm going to sleep a bit longer. Then depending the match you have, you maybe go to bed earlier. It's always tricky because for some people it's amount of hours of sleep. For me it's when I go to sleep at, like, 10:00, I don't feel well in the morning. I always go 11:00 or 11:30 no matter what time I have to wake up.

So if I don't sleep on the court, it's good.

Q. Do you take naps?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I love naps. I love power naps. 11, 12 minutes I do. Yeah, that's how I do it, and I really feel great afterwards.

Q. I wanted to ask about the interview too from 2019, but more broadly because last year you made the comment about the heat. I feel like it was funny, but it started a conversation about the heat. I was wondering if you feel like you have gotten better at using your humor to make points and make statements about things, how you might be feeling on tour, or do you think the audience is just more receptive because they're more used to your sense of humor?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I think so, honestly. Sometimes when I'm not happy about something, sometimes talking about being better, I don't manage because it's always better when you are not happy about something. Just be a bit sarcastic and a bit humoristic, but not too much because too much sarcasm is not good also.

It can make a little bit headline if you want it to be a headline, but I usually try to not do it on purpose because I am someone I don't like headlines, to be honest.

Yeah, I think about the heat I was just surviving, so whatever I said this day, I think I honestly don't remember, whatever I said. It was just survival mode.

Yeah, sometimes I try to be -- to have a little sense of humor, and maybe say something I want to say to the audience.

Q. In terms of your play, what are your thoughts right now on your progression? You're so experienced at going deep, especially on the hard court. How would you characterize the way you're playing and the outlook moving ahead?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Tough question, honestly, because I think on practice lately -- when I say lately, maybe this year, maybe two years from here -- I'm trying to work a lot of things to try to have even more weapons in my game. Sometimes more aggressive. Sometimes, I don't know, like new shots, new combinations.

Then it comes to the point where you come in the match, and I know I have my style of play, which brings me a lot of wins on hard courts, a lot of great results. You're always a little bit hesitant of where do you bring this new things you worked on in practice?

If you lose, how much are you going to be able to say, No, that was a good decision or not? So today, as an example, I thought maybe in the third set I could have returned a bit closer. I was, like, if I lose this third set, what do I do in the fourth?

So I decided to go in the third set to continue this way, and if I would lose it, I would change it in the fourth set. I think I have my spine of my game where I know what I'm what I'm good at, and I try to use it a lot, and then sometimes surprise my opponent here and there.

Q. How much do you bring into your mind your biggest successes as fuel for what you are doing now?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Success is always important, and you always try to look back a little bit at what worked well. After that, you progress with age. Your shots sometimes change a little bit.

If you look at Novak winning his first Australian Open, he is probably playing completely different right now, and it's fine.

Yeah, so I try to remember the good moments and maybe what do I have to still do exactly like I did. Still with age, yeah, I'm trying to learn new things and trying to mix it up. Balance is very important.

Q. Can you talk about Fabian's game and his potential after your first meeting?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: He plays very well, and he showed it many times. They told me that he had a 50% top-10 win before this match, so now just a little bit less.

Yeah, he has very good strikes, but looking at his matches, I knew that if I stay consistent throughout the whole match, he can sometimes miss a bit more maybe than other top-10 players. That's what I try to bring in the match, and that managed to work.

But, if not, yeah, his shots are very good. He plays well. Serve can be a bit better, but it's okay. Tennis is not an easy sport. He has big potential for sure.

Q. Have you practiced with Flavio, and if you haven't, have you sort of seen his game, and what do you make of his --

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I didn't even know who I play, so yeah, good. Never practiced with him. I saw him play. He has, I think, really explosive tennis.

I would say knew little bit maybe like margin, but in a different style. So it's going to be interesting, yeah. Crazy playing Grand Slam and two times play someone for the first time. Who did I play first round? Lajovic, yeah. So I played him before.

Yeah, so it's going to be interesting. Looking forward. Nothing more I can say.

Q. Daniil, some of the things that you say on court, you are talking about the interview situation. Have you got these one-liners in your mind, or are they just suddenly because I think the one at the Australian Open was the most classic of all one-liners, the "small cat." The second part is, what is a Rainbow Six skin?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, two different questions. Yeah, the one-liners. Honestly as I say, I'm someone -- people would not think like this... when I'm on the court, I always make headlines. Sometimes bad. Sometimes good. Sometimes funny. Sometimes less funny.

I'm someone, I don't really like headlines, but when I'm on the court, my mind is boiling, constantly boiling. Like sometimes it's frustration. Sometimes with good emotions. It's like tea. It just comes out, comes out even if I don't want it. It just boils.

Yeah, I think it's good. You know, I will finish my career. I will have some good legacy in terms of titles and good memories on court and for sure some iconic moments like on the microphone, et cetera. I like to speak. I have no problem with it.

Rainbow Six Siege skin, yeah, it's a game. You can buy or sometimes get for free, as my skin. I play this game since 10 years. So honestly never thought I would be connected in official way to them because I anyway play the game. I love it.

We managed to get in touch with the developers and build a good connection, and now to have like -- it's not my own operator, but when I would be able to play, I would put it on, and it would be like my outfit, like a little bit like on the court.

It's funny feeling. You play computer game with your friends. Some of them never met them. You know, virtual friends. Then they know who I am, and it's just something different. It's quite fun.

Especially some people get starstruck, and that's a little bit strange feeling because you don't know how to act afterwards. Some I have some virtual friends I never met. They support me when I win. They text me. Then we play together. We have a good time, and maybe they will wear my skin also.

So it's just a little connection of virtual world, and it's pretty fun.