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 received 5 video games in a row defeating Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-4 in his 2024 clay-court opener in Monte-Carlo immediately.
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Eighteen of Medvedev’s 20 profession titles have come on his beloved laborious courtroom, however the 2023 Roland Garros quarterfinalist says going the space in Rome provides him the self-belief he can win any clay-court event, together with the French Open.
“Final season primarily confirmed me that I can win any event on clay, as a result of while you win Rome and also you go to the quarters within the French, taking part in 5 units, I imagine I can win any event,” Medvedev instructed the media in Monte-Carlo. “There is not any distinction between the French or Rome.
“After all the French is a Grand Slam, so it’s kind of completely different, but when you’ll be able to do nicely in these tournaments, you’ll be able to play any clay courtroom event. 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 more durable 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 completely different from laborious courts, as a result of on laborious courts I do know I’ll, 90% of circumstances, will win,” Medvedev mentioned. “However in clay, not. I must work laborious on every level. If I am up 40-Love on laborious courts on my serve, I would solely lose two of these serve video games within the yr, which isn’t true on clay. There are extra breaks, unhealthy bounces. Generally even the second serve you may’t return.
“So I do not like clay as a lot as laborious courts due to all that, however I am in a second after I settle for this. I attempt to discover options, and I am very blissful within the zone I am in proper now.”
Medvedev will face buddy Karen Khachanov within the Monte-Carlo spherical of 16.
Photograph credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
