Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

J. SINNER/D. Medvedev

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Not the result you were hoping for, but still a very good run for you, this two weeks in Indian Wells. Can you summarize your experience here?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I mean, great tournament, great level, even including today. Of course a bit disappointed to not have couple of moments where I could have played better. Jannik is a tremendous player, so tough to play against.

So in general happy for the week, and looking forward for more tennis like this.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Daniil, the fact is during this tournament, maybe you gain again the confidence that you can face Jannik and Carlos, because you have found something in your game, some improvement that maybe other players don't have the strength to do, and maybe you kind of find a new pleasure playing against them?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I mean, pleasure, I said that last year I didn't play any of them because I played bad, so I was losing before facing them.

So I'm happy that this tournament I played good enough to beat all the other guys first, and then even good enough to beat Carlos and then face Jannik.

So that's going to be my goal, not focus on them too much exactly, but focus on improving myself, improving my game, trying to beat all the other guys.

Then, as I said yesterday, whenever you have Carlos and Jannik in the tournament, which is probably going to be the case in Miami, there is a big chance you're going to meet one of them in semis, and if you play unbelievable, then one of them in the final.

So that's a goal, and that's what I'm going to try to continue doing.

Q. Hard luck today. We are looking for players to step up and challenge Carlos and Jannik on a more regular basis. Do you feel you have the confidence now to perhaps be that guy?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Tough to say, because I lost a lot of matches against them, and I did lose again today against Jannik.

I know that I can be a good tennis player, and I will try my best to, whoever is on the other side of the net, maybe it's Carlos and Jannik, maybe it's someone else, I will just try to play some good tennis, which I proved I can do again here, Dubai, Brisbane.

So that's my goal, because I think in general on one-match basis, anyone can challenge them. I mean, you saw Jakub beat Jannik in Doha, you saw, well, me beat Carlos here, stuff like this. So on one-match basis, a lot of guys can challenge that. I think it's not right to say it's only me or only Novak or whatever, only Sascha.

But it's definitely very tough, and that's why, when you come to the end of the season, usually they have, like what, 60 wins, and I don't know, 5, 6 losses, out of which four come from themselves, as well. So it's not easy challenge, and you just need to try your best.

Q. So you have played against Rafa, Roger, these kind of generation, and now it's Jannik and Carlos. When you were challenging against Roger, Rafa compared to now, do you have to make up different kind of mentality or kind of tennis, or can you compare these two big challenges?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, they're all very tough challenges. I unfortunately didn't play Roger yet when I established myself in the top 10. I was just coming up. And I do think he would be a tough opponent for me.

We can never know, in a way, but the three matches, I think three matches I played, I lost.

Q. And Novak?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, yeah, it is what it is. You said only Novak?

Q. No, no. I mean, kind of these big four, big three.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: So they're all different, they're all different players, and Jannik is different from Carlos, and Carlos is -- they're all different. So of course the tactic is tiny bit different.

Playing Jannik is a bit different from playing Carlos. And of course Rafa is completely different, because he's a lefty and has this crazy spin.

They're all very tough to play against. That's why they all have a lot of Grand Slams, Jannik and Carlos a bit less for the moment, but if nothing extraordinary happens, they're going to have a lot. A lot, how many, we don't know. They are very tough challenge because they demand to bring the best out of you.

And probably, if we look at my career, well, I'm worse than them, but I try my best to challenge them when I have this opportunity. Sometimes it works, and that's what I'm going to try to continue doing.

Q. The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam or Masters 1000 that has the coaching box on the court. What's your opinion about that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think it doesn't matter too much, because if you saw, like, me or Carlos playing, even with the coaches a bit further, they still can talk to you and you can hear them.

So I think, is there maybe a tournament where they're really further away? Dubai was like this before, but still, if you scream, you can.

So I always said I'm not against coaching, but me personally, I don't need it. Whenever there was a rule about, like, that coaching is not allowed, I was okay with it. Now that it's allowed, I'm okay with it.

I personally prefer when the team is a bit up, just for me, it's, like, easier to see them and communicate with them. But if it's down, it's okay. Doesn't matter too much.

Q. Curious about your opinion on Jannik's serving. You didn't get a breakpoint on him. For you mentally at this point, does a successful stretch like this sort of satisfy your appetite for more success, or does it really increase it, because now you see the possibilities again?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's a sweet bitter feeling, because to beat Carlos yesterday, it feels like a win of the tournament, especially for me. I lost a lot against him.

But that's not the reality. You know, there is a final to play. I had my opportunity, small opportunity in the first set. A bit bigger opportunity in the tiebreak in the second. But at the same time, I was hanging by not big margins in the whole set.

So it is what it is. It's like a bittersweet feeling where it feels good to do what I did this week. But of course I wanted to try to push him even more, but it's tough.

And, as you said, he was serving phenomenal. I do think that basically starting from the first match that he beat me in Beijing, he did something with his team on his serve, and he's serving phenomenal. It's super tough to read, it's super tough to return, even when you read it. Not only for me, for a lot of players.

So that's part of his success. Yeah, was super tough to be on the return position today.

Q. You return in the top 10. What does it mean to you?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's a good feeling, but I always said that when I play well, I will return to the top 10. I played well.

For example, the end of the season, I was very close to finish in the year in the top 10 where there were some stretches of the year where it was horrible, and I was not getting any points.

So if I manage to continue this level, I will be at one point in top 10, maybe top 5, but if I lose this level, then their rankings can fluctuate.

Does it mean anything special to me? No. But it's a good feeling at the same time. So, yeah, I cannot answer better.