AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/Q. Halys

6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Daniil. How happy are you with your performance today against a quite tricky opponent?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, performance could be better I think, but a win is a win. I was playing better during the match. He played great, I felt.

So it was a big win, because it was the same last year on slams. When people played good against me, I was struggling. Well, basically lost some matches. So I'm happy that I managed to win it, turning it around and playing better and better throughout the whole match.

So pretty happy about this, and looking forward for next rounds.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. After losing the first set, did any thoughts flash into your mind of last year over here?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, not really, but more in general that, okay, you don't want to lose the first set, especially I was in the tiebreak serving for it. And I made the serve, which was not great, not bad, and he slammed it on the line, the return, and then slammed one more forehand.

So I was more thinking about this. I was, like, could I maybe serve a little bit better this one? Then I was like, Damn, why did it drop on the line and not a bit out?

Then step by step, I went out to change the clothes. This usually helps a bit to kind of refocus, to how do I win this match now? Okay, it's one set love to him. This we cannot change.

Then the first game was pretty so-so from my side, and I got broken. But, still, need to try to win the match. I'm happy that I managed to turn this around and break him many times actually after in the match.

Q. A lot of current and former players have been starting podcasts the last couple of years. You're someone would seems to enjoy the interview format. Is that a medium that appeals to you, if you would ever start a podcast? If you did, what kind of guests or topics would you talk about?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I would say probably not, but it depends the circumstances, because I don't know, some people start podcasts just by themselves, some start with the help of some other people.

So it depends, but I would say probably not because -- no, actually, you know what, like, five years after I finished my career, never know. But the probably, like, first five years would just enjoy time with the family, do some things I love, and podcast is probably not one of them yet.

Then step by step a bit later, who knows? But, again, now it's definitely not on my mind.

Q. Do you think you'd want to talk about tennis at that point?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I'm not sure, because it's a very tricky road. And, for example, I don't listen to them, but you always get this, like, how you call it, parts where, like, you look for a minute. And, for example, I respect Roddick a lot, because I feel like he never goes at the players. So he's very, like, respectful and tries to just, as you say, talk about tennis, super respectful.

Then there are some guys, and it's normal, because once you get maybe not used to doing interviews anymore, and some of them do, like, one per year and just slam the whole tour.

That's what I'm going to be very careful with, because that's why I say maybe I would not want to talk about tennis, because I don't want to be this guy that finishes his career and then goes, like, yeah, these guys, they don't know how to play anymore. When I was there, it was Alcaraz, Sinner, and these guys now are just amateurs.

So I hope I'm not going to be like this. If I am, I'm not going to give interviews.

Q. One of the unique things about tennis is that you share locker room with other players that you play against. Are there any awkward moments that come out of this, whether it's with your opponents before or after a match or even just say you go in and someone is really upset after...

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: That's a very good question, because probably five, six days ago I was talking to my coaches. They're both here, Rohan and Thomas.

Rohan was coaching on the tour like, what, maybe 20 years ago. Yeah, around 20. Maybe even more. Thomas was playing kind of at the same time.

I only know locker room since I came in, and to be honest, I always said, it's super, like, friendly. Yes, in the court sometimes we can -- I mean, never fight, but we can have a chat here and there. Maybe there is, I don't know, two, three guys out of the top 100 you don't like, but in general, it's a super friendly atmosphere.

Everyone laughs, even sometimes before the matches or after the matches. If you're really in good relationship, you can kind of laugh it off.

I heard from them that 20 years ago it was as toxic as it could be. That's what they say. So I don't know if it's ever in the podcast or something, but I heard some stories from Thomas. I'm never going to reveal them.

I was, like, shocked. I was, like, but that's why you guys finish early your careers because it's constant pressure. He told me some stories where it's, like, you know, from when you wake up, you're already under pressure. Going to the locker room, you're under pressure.

I know our locker room is great. It's very chill, very relaxing. You see Alcaraz and Sinner are sharing the jets or whatever. I think it's good, because that's what makes us enjoy tennis and enjoy the tour.

Q. Someone said they don't like when people don't say hi to you, if you don't greet somebody.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, it depends on the culture. For example, when I came from Russia to France it was a bit tough for me, because in different countries it's different etiquette.

In France you have to say literally to everyone you see, Hello, how are you? In Russia, you don't. If you don't know a person, you kind of don't say hi to him and you say only to your friends.

In the beginning, like, I could go to a shop maybe and not say hi to not the owner but the guy, cashier, and he would get mad at me. I was, Damn, what did I do wrong?

Step by step you get used to it. I feel in the locker room pretty much everyone says hi to everyone.

Q. Congrats on the win. A Ukrainian player yesterday said that she doesn't think Russians should be allowed to compete in international tennis tournaments. She also condemned players, including yourself, for competing in an exhibition match sponsored by a Russian major oil company that has links to the Russian war, Ukraine war, sorry. I guess, what's your reply to that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I mean, in general, I respect all the opinions of all the people. On the court actually a bit different, right, but outside the court, I respect all the opinions. But that's her opinion, and honestly, I don't have anything to say about it.

Q. There is a lot of talk about the slowness of the courts, heaviness of the balls in tournaments around the world. How does the Australian Open compare to that this year? In particular, the two stadiums you have played on so far this year.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I already said in Brisbane, I think for sure it's been talk for a long time, but I do feel like courts are getting faster, like I heard Hong Kong is super fast, Brisbane was pretty fast, as well.

I feel like Australian Open is not slow. I'm not going to call it fast, because you do see some rallies, and maybe aces a bit less. Hong Kong, Brisbane, for example. But it's kind of medium speed or maybe even tiny bit to the faster side.

Same about the balls. I have been the biggest probably at one point, I would say, crying about balls and this and that. I do feel like they're getting better. It's still the reality that racquets change, courts change, games of players change. Now everybody is ripping the ball and we still have the change of rules of balls.

This is maybe something to look into because I don't know when this rule of 7, 9 was applied. If it's, like, 15 years ago, maybe. If it's 40 years ago, it was a different story.

But again, in general, I think that's what I feel right now, that we're being heard, and pretty much a lot of variety on the court and on the balls as well.

Q. A lot of Russian players have switched nationalities last year. Is that something you have considered and, as well, if you understand kind of those players' reasons for doing that?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: As I just said, 100% understand and respect, because, you know, that's something you can do basically, especially in sports. It's even maybe a bit easier than for other people.

I never really considered this, because I believe in, you know, where you are born is important. Politics and other stuff is a bit different, so I never considered this.

But again, zero, I mean, a lot of players change, and I'm friends with them. I'm friends with a lot of players in the locker room, so it's their choice.

Q. What's your expectations against Fabian? You've beaten him twice, and you trained together several times, so maybe you know each other?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I feel like we know each other quite a bit now. He's been on tour now maybe for two years? We practice a couple of times, we played, so he's a very strong player, fiery, can beat a lot of top-10 players, so he can, like, play very well.

It's good to know this, because, you know, I'm going to be ready for a very tough match. Need to be at my best to try to beat him, and, well, that's basically what I'm going to try to do.