MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 21, 2025

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

J. MUNAR/D. Medvedev

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Tough luck, Daniil. We saw that your back was giving you difficulty. Was there anything wrong that affected your play?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I was not 100% physically, but I tried my best to get into the match. Every day was better and better. I had some problems after Indian Wells. Can happen.

He played well, so that's why, you know, I wouldn't go to the match if I would kind of definitely know I'm not ready to win.

I had some practices. Yesterday I almost, like, won the set against someone pretty strong. I tried my best. I was not 100%, but he played a very good match to use it and to win convincingly.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Daniil, it's been a bit of a drought for you, which is so unusual for somebody like yourself. Are you able to indicate the frustration of having not picked up a title for so long? Is there any concern? I know it's happened once before, but any concern of potentially dropping out of the top 10?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, I guess it could happen after this tournament. I don't follow, like -- unless you're getting close to No. 1 or something, I don't follow it that closely. But if it's gonna happen, I'm probably gonna know it. Somebody is going to tell me or I'm going to see it in one of the tournaments. But yeah, if I do drop, it means I didn't play well enough for last year.

I don't have really too big of concerns about my game in general, like, I showed it in Dubai and Indian Wells when I can play good, I can still win matches. Said many times why I do think that something on the tour right now doesn't favor my game, so for sure it's tougher for me to win titles, and too, especially, I would say, beat guys who are in a good day. Whereas before, I could be in a good day, the guy could be in a good day, I probably would win actually. Now it's a bit different.

But it's okay. I'm going to continue trying my best. As I said, unfortunately here physical issues, but clay now. Let's see. My last title was on clay, so I'm going to try to get it again (smiling).

Q. Obviously a former champion here. I'm sure you're unhappy with today's results. You have lost to some players very lowly ranked this year. Unusual for you. Do you feel like maybe it's possible to change your style in a little way? I think you said you think the balls are against you because maybe too soft and fluffy. Is there something you could do, maybe be more aggressive in certain areas?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I can be more aggressive but not, actually, that's where the thing is with -- I mean, anyway, I'm not going to go too much into detail, but yeah, it's true that right now the style of play doesn't suit me 100%.

I do try to adapt to it in different ways, and I'm always someone who even during the match tries to change, sometimes go more aggressive, sometimes go more defensive.

I should say in the end, what matters is how you're ready for the tournament mentally, physically, tennis-wise, and style of game. Some tournaments I won playing very aggressively. Some tournaments I won playing very defensively.

Doesn't matter that much. I'm going to continue trying to work harder. I hope I have nothing serious, because I don't know exactly what it is, but hopefully nothing serious and I can play next tournaments and let's see there.

Q. You don't know what you did really on the back issue. So what does it feel like? On what shots is it affecting you the most?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Movement. That's the thing. If it will be a little bit faster conditions -- and when I say "conditions," not the court, the court is pretty fast -- I could compensate my lack of movement by making him run and, like, reading the game.

But there were some points I was doing, like, five good shots and they literally don't do anything. They don't go through the court. Yeah, they don't go through the air.

So in a way, I would be happy to play in these conditions if I would be able to play 30-shot rallies, running from right to left. The toughest thing for me was to react to the shots, meaning like when he maybe puts a shot where I didn't expect him to go, I couldn't get it then. That was a big problem, and that's why I couldn't win.

Q. Could you give your general thoughts on the PTPA lawsuit that's been announced in the last couple of days?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, I was not asked. Will be honest, I didn't look into details into it, because probably it's a big lawsuit, I would guess. I mean, I don't know how many pages.

So I don't want to comment yet, because I didn't see it, I didn't see it, like, in details. So I'm not against; not for it. I just need to know more for the moment.