NITTO ATP FINALS

November 16, 2023

Daniil Medvedev

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/A. Zverev

7-6, 6-4

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Hello, everyone.

THE MODERATOR: You're through to the semifinal. Keys today for the match?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Great to be in the semifinals. Two straight-set wins. Today, for sure many moments where it could be not straight sets. Tight match. I'm happy that I managed to win it, no matter in a way the points and how it went.

I felt like lately I could have lost some matches like this, some tiebreaks. I'm happy this time I managed to win it. It's always great for the confidence. Like this next matches you can try to do the same.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There's so much space behind the baseline. Are you tempted to go back even further?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, first practice here on center court, I kind of laughed. I think it was with Jannik. When he started to serve, I went where the line judges are. The thing is then you cannot return. The ball is probably going to bounce two times before you return it.

I like when there is space. As I said, there are tournaments during the year, even Masters 1000, Madrid, Cincinnati, where I kind of don't have, let's say, the ability to be where I want. I can still play well in these tournaments. Cincinnati this year, I didn't do well, but I won it one time. Same Madrid. I was playing quite well.

I think if you want the best game possible, we need to give this opportunity to all the players. For sure there are some players that stay on the baseline. They don't care. They can have a very small court and they don't care. Me, I like when there is space. I'm very happy when there are tournaments that give me space and I can do my job.

Q. Sascha said on Friday he's going to be No. 1 Medvedev fan in the world. How does it feel?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Say it again.

Q. He said he's going to be your No. 1 fan. Considered what happened in Monte-Carlo, all this stuff, how does it feel?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: First of all, that's normal. He wants to go through. I don't know all the scenarios. For sure, if I beat Carlos, it's going to be the best for him. So it's normal. I would be the same. I can see him looking the match. If I miss going, No, why did he miss. Same if I win points.

Me, I'm going to try my best to play Carlos. Is not easy. But here, fast court, so can be interesting. It's always a question, for sure you probably don't want to play tiebreak of the third set after 3 hours 30 after having to play the next day. The moment you relax and say to yourself, Maybe this match I can go easier, you can lose all the rhythm. That's how tennis is.

For example, Novak last year against me, physically very tough match. He could have said I lose at one moment, Whatever, I lose the match, I'm still first place. But he didn't. I think great example for me to try to do just my best on Friday and try to win.

Q. On Friday you will play the first match. How is it important for you considering on Saturday you have a semifinal?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Always easier to play earlier, to not have to go to bed after midnight and stuff like this. At the same time when I won in London, I remember I played at night against Diego, at night against Rafa, then against Dominic. I was going to bed at 3 in the morning, stuff like this, still managed to win.

For sure for my body is better, so I guess I'm happy to play at 2. I guess it's logical because two times I played at night, so one time during the day...

But, yeah, at the same time if I will play I think it's not 9, 8 or 8:30, I don't care, I will try to do my best.

Q. What do you have to do against Carlos on Friday? And nice track suit pants.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Lucky we can't see it here. It's pants from a different app, so...

What was the question? Oh, against Carlos.

As I told in US Open, I think against him, especially the way he played today, better than two days ago, have to be at your best. Have to serve well. Here is opportunity comparing to, like, courts like Indian Wells. Can serve aces against him like Sascha did. So I need to play fast. I need to make winners before he does it.

Yeah, today he was pretty well. It's going to be a good continuation of a test. I beat two good opponents and I have another one in two days. I'm going to try to do my best.

Q. I'd like to know how you prepare this event after losing very early in Paris?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Sometimes I don't understand tennis completely because exactly last year I lost to de Minaur, was tight three sets. I think in the way the story of the match was different than with Grigor.

Maybe to have a bigger impact on my confidence because after that, I took maybe two, three days off. Same like this year. I was just lost. Maybe it was the season itself. Maybe I was more tired. I didn't feel good coming here. I felt good being in Turin, I like it here. But on court, I was feeling all.

I said it after the match with Rublev last year, I was happy the way I played because before the match I was completely lost.

This year not the case. For sure tough loss against Grigor. I stayed in Paris for couple of days, but feeling not good. Looking at other players compete, playing well. Not a good feeling. But I was like, Okay, try to do my best on practice. I think I lost Wednesday and started practice on Sunday. I was feeling good on practice.

Coming here, I was feeling only better and better before the first match. I was like, Okay, it's good that I feel like this. Need to show it on the court. I managed to do it, so I'm really happy about it.

But I still don't know exactly why sometimes it's not like this and sometimes it is like this, but...