VOLVO MONTE-CARLO OPEN

April 21, 1994

Andrei Medvedev

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: It is much better than after Estoril and much better than in Barcelona. But it is not 100% yet. I cannot do the full sprints, but it is getting better everyday. Alex Stober does a good job for me, the ATP Tour trainer, and we have been working already for for over a year, so he knows what I need. He does a very good thing for me.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I only play 20 percent. Normally just - I mean, not 20 percent; I was looking to say it was 20 percent, but I would say 60 to 70, because sometimes my knee starts to hurt and then I cannot concentrate on my strokes anymore. I am thinking of my knee and it doesn't, you know -- I mean, doesn't really help me to play tennis. And more than that, I cannot sprint. And most -- I mean, all of the players, they know that I have a problem, and they are trying to play more drop shots, and they are trying to make me run a little bit extra, more. So I don't really like that. After the match, you know - in fact, right now I would have to go and take treatments, because otherwise I would not be able to play tomorrow. So it does limit my game down to 30 percent, but I still feel confident. I still feel that I can play well.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: No, there is nothing structurally wrong with the knee, and it is only a very big inflammation and I mean, I cannot normally hurt myself unless I stop doing treatments. I don't plan to stop doing treatments because I understand I have to do this. I take the anti-inflammatory pills and normally it should be okay. Alex told me that I should be okay by the French Open. I should get rid of the pain, so this is the goal for me, to be okay to play the Grand Slam.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: No, I was always following the instructions of the doctor, but I guess nothing you can do, the inflammation will come back because in tennis you do so many different movements that there is no way that, you know, you will not feel anything after the operation because even though it was only the arthroscopic operation, he made three holes in the knee. I mean, you know, it hurts in three different places, so I mean, I was following the instructions but I guess it is just destiny, it is just the result of the operation, Alex said. But there is nothing wrong anymore.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Sure. I know him since we were young and we always play together. And there were many times when we had fights and we had a good times also. I mean, there was so many things because I know him since probably I was 13 or even 12 and we are good friends. We always go out and we always lose money together here, so we have fun. I am happy for him because he is a great player and in the juniors we always had 50/50, but he was always much more talented. I was practicing a lot and he was beating me by talent, so I am happy that now he is starting to working improve so much, and I am happy to see that there is another Russian coming up. And the guy who would probably understand me because I like to work and now there is another one who also likes to work hard and it is always fun to play with him because then we remember the times when we were 13 or 14 and we always have a good matches, so I mean, it is going to be on the Tour with someone that you know for so many years already.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Today in the morning.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: A long time ago, I would say five to six years. But I remember correctly that I won.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, I don't know what kind of person he is. I know that he refused to go to the press conference yesterday and I explained to him that what he did is not right and he says, I don't care, I don't care if I will be fined or I will get any penalties, but I say-- I told him that it is not because of the penalties, it is just because you win singles and doubles, normally you should be happy and you should be able to talk to the people. I kind of teach him how to do that. And hopefully he will come today, I don't know. But I think he is the guy who enjoys to be in the spotlight. I don't know -- it is pretty hard to take the fame because when the people start recognizing you on the streets and they are asking for your autographs, some people just lose their head, you know, and I don't think that he is that kind of person, so you should take it easy on him; not too hard.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Actually I signed them all and I gave them away. Now I am waiting another portion from Fila because they promised me that they will sign them for me, and then I just have to give them away.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: I don't think he has any weaknesses in his game, just because I know him for so long I know the way how you can beat him smart, but you have to play a very good tennis, and you know, it is still not easy. I mean, I know the tactic but it is not easy to produce this tactic to play this way, so I think he will be by the end of the year top 10 for sure.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, I don't know. I didn't have the game for grass last year and I was in the final in Halle, so it is just -- I guess it is just in the head. If you are ready to play on grass, you will play on grass, or anything else. So you know, if he asks me what I did last year, I will tell him for sure from my experience. I don't know. I think he does because he has a good serve; very good volleys and pretty good return. The only thing that may hurt him is that he doesn't like to bend his knees very much, so this might cause the problem. But if he returns well and serves well, I think he has a very good chance at Wimbledon.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: No, I am not a real doubles fan. I normally like to tank in doubles because I concentrate on singles and then it really pisses me off because normally play singles second match and doubles fifth match, so you have to be there all day at the stadium and I don't really like that.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: No, I have my flights booked already for tomorrow, so I am going back home.