By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Ruling the Everlasting Metropolis final spring has infused Daniil Medvedev with immutable confidence for this clay-court season.
The Rome champion gained 5 video games in a row defeating Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-4 in his 2024 clay-court opener in Monte-Carlo at the moment.
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Eighteen of Medvedev’s 20 profession titles have come on his beloved onerous courtroom, however the 2023 Roland Garros quarterfinalist says going the space in Rome provides him the self-belief he can win any clay-court match, together with the French Open.
“Final season primarily confirmed me that I can win any match on clay, as a result of while you win Rome and also you go to the quarters within the French, enjoying 5 units, I imagine I can win any match,” Medvedev informed the media in Monte-Carlo. “There is no distinction between the French or Rome.
“After all the French is a Grand Slam, so it is a bit totally different, but when you’ll be able to do nicely in these tournaments, you’ll be able to play any clay courtroom match. It is good for my confidence. I do know I can do nicely if I play nicely.”
The 2021 US Open champion mentioned there are three main causes he is struggled to copy his hard-court success on grime:
1. It is harder to win low cost factors on serve.
2. Cay can elicit unruly bounces and
3. Medvedev finds himself having to work tougher to win factors on the slower floor.
“Now, clay is totally different from onerous courts, as a result of on onerous courts I do know I’ll, 90% of instances, will win,” Medvedev mentioned. “However in clay, not. I have to work onerous on every level. If I am up 40-Love on onerous courts on my serve, I would solely lose two of these serve video games within the 12 months, which isn’t true on clay. There are extra breaks, dangerous bounces. Typically even the second serve you may’t return.
“So I do not like clay as a lot as onerous courts due to all that, however I am in a second once I settle for this. I attempt to discover options, and I am very comfortable within the zone I am in proper now.”
Medvedev will face buddy Karen Khachanov within the Monte-Carlo spherical of 16.
Picture credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty