CHINA OPEN

October 2, 2026

Daniil Medvedev

Mixed Zone

D. MEDVEDEV/P. Carreno Busta

6-4, 6-2

Q. There is an ongoing debate of getting rid of five sets at Grand Slams until the quarterfinals, playing best of three. Don't you think this takes away a very deep legacy out of this sport?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think definitely takes away from the history of Grand Slams. But since I was young, I said, Look, I prefer three sets. So if you ask me, let's play three. I'm okay to play five as well. I follow the lead.

Someone one day decides to make it three till quarters or all the time, I will be okay with it. If it's still five, I'm okay with it.

I think it was also fun before when it was five for Masters 1000 events, but I don't think we should bring it back.

I'm just a player. I play. I'll always try to do my best no matter how many sets there are.

Q. I want to ask you about Andrey Golubev. First coaching experience for him. How are you working with him? How important for you is chasing now ATP Finals spot?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Finals for sure important. It's always about playing good. If you lose a couple of first rounds, maybe some other guy catch you. If you make finals in big tournaments, you're in Turin. So it's about playing well.

Talking about Andrey, it's working good. The best work you can do is pre-season, like the most important work where you can actually feel the most from the coach, from yourself.

Still we passed a tough period in the beginning of our relationship. I lost a couple of matches in USA. Was not feeling well.

I feel like we're on the right path. So far enjoying it a lot.

Q. Do you think he'll be there in 2027?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: We'll decide at the end of the year, but I think there is a big chance, yes. But since I cannot tell you 100%, I'm not going to say 100%. I think there is a big chance.

Q. How do you feel about the weather in Beijing? You just came from the humid and hot Hangzhou. Beijing is the least hot.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, we can always - how you say - not argue, not cry, but we can always complain. When it's dry, the hands can open up a bit. Even when you frame, sometimes you can bleed, stuff like this. When it's humid, you can cramp, stuff like this. Like three and five sets: you adapt. At least you know probably nobody's going to cramp or be super tired in the end because it's quite chilly and dry.

But yeah, I enjoy my time in China in general no matter if it's humid or not. I enjoy my time here in Beijing.

Q. Coming off of Hangzhou, how are you feeling in back-to-back tournaments? Are you feeling good? Your rest and recovery?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I'm feeling great. I got kind of lucky to play two days after the final, not one day after. So feeling great. Felt good today physically. Felt good in my tennis. I'm looking forward.

Q. You speak very often about racquets, your material. You care a lot about that. Speaking with a lot of stringers on tour, sometimes they have the feeling that some players, both in ATP and WTA, don't really know that well what they are playing with. Do you have this feeling sometimes?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, I don't know well what I'm playing with. It's always about the feeling. I did try once in my career to let's say dig into it a little bit more and it didn't help me at all. Maybe even made it a bit worse.

This is what I said: You know what, I don't want to know. I want to play good tennis. I want to trust my material.

I like my racquet. Since I was 20, 21, I play with Tecnifibre. I like it. I was No. 1 with it. I won a slam with it. Sometimes I lose first round; sometimes I win the tournament. I like it a lot.

Q. How important is it for you, irrespective of the size of a tournament, to win that tournament as you continue the next week and you come into another event, et cetera, et cetera?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Like you mean in which sense? How is it important to win?

Q. It was a 250 that you won. Does that mean as much to actually have a title under your belt going into another week?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: This is actually a funny question because I would say the feeling when you're on court, so the moment you win the last point, is exactly similar. Like, I won US Open. It's a relief, you win the last point. Actually two times wide serve, they miss in the net.

Hangzhou is a smaller tournament than the US Open, but the feeling is kind of similar. It's a relief. It's a nice feeling. Of course, the aftermath is different when you win a Grand Slam or you win a 250.

We decide to play tournaments which we want, meaning of course there are going to be more Masters in a year, maybe even more Grand Slams sometimes than a 250. But whenever you play somewhere, you want to win. It's a nice feeling to win.

The aftermath is that for sure Hangzhou is a small tournament, it's not going to make my career different at the end of my career, but the feeling is so nice. Of course, you always enjoy it.