World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev has shared his thoughts on the implementation of electronic line calling on clay courts. This comes after his victory over Karen Khachanov in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters, where he won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
Medvedev stated, “It`s normal for me. There was one serve…” referring to the new system. He elaborated, “Actually, we were sent a video explaining that the bounce we perceive might not always align with Hawk-Eye. On clay, when a ball lands close to the line, it can sometimes create a mark that appears to be out. This has historically led to disputes with umpires. You point to a mark saying, `It`s out,` and they might argue, `It bounced from the line` (smiles).”
He continued, “This has always been an issue, so having a computer system at least eliminates arguments. It makes things easier for me” (smiles), as he mentioned in an interview with the YouTube channel `Bolshe!`.
The Russian player also commented on the physically demanding nature of the match for both players, noting the 17 breaks of serve between them. “It`s clay, and it`s the first match. I believe players who grew up on clay naturally feel more comfortable. They are already accustomed to it from the first match. While Karen enjoys playing on clay, the first match is always challenging – both physically and in terms of adapting to the stress and sliding.”
Medvedev admitted to fatigue in the third set, “Yes, I was tired in the third set, but we played for three hours, which is normal. And towards the end, my legs nearly gave out due to cramps. Ironically, it helped me because I realized I couldn`t afford to just push the ball anymore; I had to go for my shots, whatever happens. One shot landed on the line, and in the next rally, I managed to apply pressure. So, the cramps were somewhat beneficial this time.”
Reflecting on his performance, Medvedev added, “I felt I was playing correctly. Yes, there were minor lapses in decision-making at crucial moments. However, I felt like I was doing everything right and was genuinely closer to winning in all three sets. I simply felt the need to keep pushing and capitalize. Overall, there were no significant issues, except for one fan who shouted during my serve (smiles) – I sent him kisses after the match (laughs).”
