World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev shared his thoughts on Casper Ruud`s recent victory at the Madrid Masters. The Russian player had been eliminated by the Norwegian in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Question: Daniil, as is customary, Rome follows Madrid. Let`s first look back. In Madrid, you lost to Casper, who ended up winning the tournament. Does that make the loss easier to accept?
Answer: To be honest, it doesn`t really matter anymore. When I was younger, it felt good. For example, if you lost in the second round, and then your opponent reached the final and won. Then you`d feel happy in a way because you`d think: well, I really lost to a very strong opponent. But at this stage, we were already in the quarterfinals. It truly doesn`t matter whether it was Casper [Ruud], Jack [Draper], or Lorenzo [Musetti]. They all play great on clay.
But I am satisfied with the performance I showed against Casper. In the second set, I was close to pushing it to a tie-break, but it didn`t happen; he played well. And he also performed excellently in the semifinals and the final. So, he proved he could do it, this being his first Masters title. I`m happy for him. I gave everything I could, and I will strive to play better in Rome.
Question: In the match against Casper, you played very aggressive tennis. Is this the path you intend to continue on, or was it a strategy specific to Madrid?
Answer: That was purely a Madrid approach. The way I play on clay… I don`t envision myself having 20-shot rallies with Casper, because he runs well and tries to dictate the game immediately. So, the plan was for *me* to dictate the game, and I managed that, but the other factor is he still defends well, lobs effectively, and generally plays well.
So, that [style] was more specific to both Madrid and facing Casper. We`ll see in Rome, depending on my opponent. The conditions here are slower, so it`s not guaranteed that I`ll be able to implement that same style. We`ll see.
Question: Rome holds a special significance in your career for obvious reasons. Is winning the title here also amusing to you because of how unexpected it was for everyone?
Answer: Yes, indeed, it was unexpected for numerous reasons. It was unexpected because, well, I genuinely disliked clay. And after winning here, I actually like clay much more; I get much less, let`s say, irritated with it or say negative things about it. That is, I have a much calmer attitude towards it. But what`s even more peculiar is that it was my most recent title. So, it`s the most special place for me over the past two years. I will try to replicate that this year.
Question: What is the most challenging thing for you in Rome?
Answer: The most challenging thing… The roads. The roads here are difficult, and when I visit a city, I like to imagine driving my own car there. In Rome, I cannot picture myself doing that because… if you want a sports car, it`s definitely not for Rome, as you`ll wreck it immediately. People are walking everywhere, and the roads are genuinely tough. That`s probably the hardest aspect, and people drive so aggressively.
Question: What is the best thing about Rome?
Answer: Actually, there are many good things. If I had to choose one, well, probably the food. The food is truly very tasty. And also the sights, the city center, and the people are pleasant. But if I have to pick just one – probably the food.
Question: Then tell us, what is your favorite dish?
Answer: There isn`t one specific dish. I like desserts very much, but I also enjoy pasta. Let`s put it this way: for dessert… it doesn`t matter which one, they are all delicious. But for a main dish, let it be veal scaloppine in lemon sauce.
