D. MEDVEDEV/G. Monfils
6-3, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: Daniil, congratulations. Quick straight-sets win today. How do you assess your performance?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, was a tough match. It's not easy to play here. The balls... Every week we go, I feel like they cannot be slower. But every week they're at least as slow. They get super huge. After two games it's almost impossible to hit a winner unless you have like a very fast, fast hand like Sinner, Alcaraz, maybe like Grigor Dimitrov or something.
We knew at one point we could make winners. We just ran, ran, ran, pushed the ball in the court. I was able to do it better. So happy to win.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You said on Wednesday that you have great rallies with Monfils. Today's match was no exception. How do you prepare and keep your energy up during those long rallies? Do you prepare any differently than usual?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It's not easy, because for sure you get very tired. He got tired, too. It's who feels better on this day, who feels better mentally, physically.
I feel like he got tired a bit more than I did, so I was able to continue doing it, and he kind of loss a little bit the rhythm. It could not be the same on the next match.
But yeah, a lot of great rallies. One of them he won when I could do the double break. My volley was not so bad, but he managed to get there. Was pretty disappointed.
Again, happy in the end I managed to win more of these rallies.
Q. Taking a step back from today's match, how would you sum up your season so far? Has the year been everything you hoped it would be?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, definitely not everything. I have zero titles. So for sure would want something more. But it's been up and down. Some good moments, some a bit worse.
But, you know, it's all experience. I like generally life on tour. I like playing. So whatever happens has happened for the best.
Still some tournaments to go. So I think in a way if I manage to play these tournaments well, I could say the season was a success. But it depends a little bit the last tournaments of the year because so far, as I say, up and down. I would not say it's amazing. I would not say it's bad at all. I'm No. 4 in the race.
But yeah, looking forward to what I could say at the last match in Turin.
Q. Looking back at the previous events, you have been a bit struggling with double-faults. Any ideas or strategies how to overcome this problem?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I think the thing is that if we look to even, like, my best years, which would be probably 2021, maybe 2020, I was still making double-faults. Sometimes I go for it. Sometimes I do lose my focus on points like 40-Love.
Yeah, the most important is how many double-faults was it doing, like, on break points, how many double-faults do I do now on break points.
I'm working a lot on my serve now. It's getting better and better. I do think, again, my opinion is since last two, three years the balls are getting worse in tennis. It's tougher to play with them, tougher to serve, tougher to play rallies, tougher to hit winners. My opinion is that it depends a lot on this. That's why I think a lot of players do a lot more mistakes.
Q. At Laver Cup we saw you not just playing but also giving a bit of advice to other players, doing some type of coaching. Have you ever thought maybe in like 15 years, 20 years you can switch to professional coaching, since your advices have been quite successful?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think I could do it. It depends if I want to do it, what will I be doing in my life after my tennis career. I depends a lot of things. I think it's very possible.
Again, I like the life on tour. If I will be a coach, I probably will not travel 40 weeks on tour like I do now. A little bit less. I could do it. I'm not sure I'd be a good one, but I can try.
Yeah, of course, in Laver Cup, it's a team environment. Everyone tries to help each other. For me it's tough. I'm someone who is like a little bit in a way shy to give my opinion. Let's call it this way. Especially when there is a top player sitting there, I know how it is, he's thinking about something, he's thinking what he has to do.
When Sascha was playing, I saw some things where I was like, Okay, I have to try to give him this advice. It worked. It was really happy. I also lost my both matches. I was the only one not to give a point to the team. I was like, Okay, if I give this advice, it works, I do something good for the team. It was a funny feeling.
Yeah, maybe I can help in the future someone else.
Q. Looking at the next round, you and Adrian Mannarino are tied in matches on hard courts. How do you foresee that match going and any adjustments you want to make in your play?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Is it 1-All?
Q. Yes.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: One match I won. I don't remember where I lost.
Yeah, Adrian is a tough opponent. A little bit worse year for him than before, the previous ones. But he's always dangerous. That's why tennis is tricky. The opponent can have a bad year. I guess he plays the match of the year and he beats you.
I will need to be at my best. It's going to be also against Adrian a lot of long rallies I think. It's going to be for sure interesting for people to watch. Going to be very physical.
Yeah, a little bit the same like against Gael. I need to be ready physically, mentally, go for the tactics since the beginning of the match, try to use them. Hopefully I can win.
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