INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 16, 2026

Daniil Medvedev

Press Conference

J. SINNER/D. Medvedev

6-2, 5-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I'm sure you're not happy to lose, but how much confidence does it give you to play at such a high level against the best player in the world?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Nice feeling to play such good tennis, especially...

I mean, even first set I thought I didn't play that bad. When you play Jannik and you don't play 110%, you cannot play bad and lose 6-2. I managed to raise my level in the second.

Even today, I mean, was a bit fast. Kind of happy how I tried almost like 30-All, saved a couple of match points on my serve. So happy with the level. Disappointed to lose.

In terms of confidence, look, every week is a new week. Good to do this level before Roland Garros, but it's going to be new journey there. Let's see what it brings.

Q. I'd like to know, during the Australian Open there was one day when Zverev was complaining about Alcaraz having cramps and called the physio and things like that. Yesterday were you thinking more or less the same thing? How do you think can be solved the problem? For an umpire, is impossible to say if someone is cramping or has something else. What would you do eventually to change that rule, if it is possible?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Actually, first I wanted to say impossible to sell, but I actually have a solution: allow physical, allow medical treatment for helps. Sorry. Allow medical, meaning physio three minutes, when you have cramps. Then there's no problem 'cause then a player could say, I have cramps, I need a physio. For the moment, it's not allowed. I completely understand.

Of course, if you start cramping - maybe he was not, I have no idea - what you do is you ask a physio and you say, I have a small pain in the leg. Probably I did it as well in my career. Then you try to use a (indiscernible).

If medical would be allowed for cramps, there would be no problem, so this is a solution.

Q. What's your opinion about Jannik physical crisis? He has them every now and then. He had one with you in Wimbledon a couple years ago. What is your opinion about that? He's a very tough opponent. Do you guys in the locker room talk about that, not you and Jannik, the other guys, and wonder what's going on when Jannik is feeling bad?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: No, definitely not talking about this in the locker room because we try I think not to discuss, like, tennis. When I say 'tennis in the locker room', meaning we don't look a match and say, Look at his backhand, it's so bad. Everyone should go there. At least I didn't discuss this with anyone.

Look, it's very tough to play him. So to win a point, you need to hit a lot of shots. I try to win the points, so I hit a lot of shot.

I don't know if maybe there was something else, but the points were physical. It was tough for me, as well. He was struggling. Whenever I play Novak, it's a bit the same. Novak many times was struggling against me physically. Were there some other guys? I mean, I guess Rafa, I struggled physically. But it was the same story. We played many shots because that's how I play as well. I don't think there is more about this.

Again, whenever someone is going to be good enough to play against Jannik in the baseline game, because there is no other way to win, it's going to be struggle for both. We saw in Monte-Carlo, he was struggling as well, but he won.

That he struggles is not a problem for him to win. The only kind of chance you have is to play this 30-shot rally, try to win them. Then you both going to struggle.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your dropshots. I thought you played them really well. One thing to do it when you're up against an opponent, but to do it against Jannik and keep on going, I'm wondering how pleased are you with that? What has it been like incorporating something into your game?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yes, on clay I always try to use a lot of dropshots. It's a very strange shot because whenever you're not in a good day and your shots from the baseline are not working, the opponent takes position. You're like, Nothing is working, try a dropshot, you usually get killed.

Whenever you're in a good day and your shots are working, that's when it's fun to make some dropshots. Against Jannik I thought it was working, I made quite a lot. Won some points, lost some points. He did the same.

A dropshot is a nice, nice shot. When you win the point, you feel good about yourself. So I like my dropshots this tournament and against Jannik, as well.

Q. You're No. 9 in the ranking. The level of your play now, don't you think you are No. 3 almost?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: In Rome maybe. In Monte-Carlo, no (smiling).

I'm just trying my best. I think in the race I would probably think I'm 4 behind Zverev and the two guys (smiling).

Just trying my best and I'll see in the end. You know, the goal for sure is to be in Turin. Before I was kind of I'm playing good, I'm in Turin. Last year I was not there. Goal is to try to be in Turin, try to keep up the level that I managed to find both in Madrid and Rome. In Madrid I played good, but lost to Cobolli, who played a great match. Try to repeat the same in Roland Garros. Try to play well on grass.

If I finish No. 3, I will feel amazing the year. But we're far from there. Sascha is playing unreal, actually much better than me in terms of results. I'm happy to be No. 4 at the moment.