“Rafa Nadal on clay is probably the worst and best challenge in tennis” – Medvedev
After his win in Indian Wells on Friday, the Russian was asked to choose whether playing Nadal on clay or Djokovic on hardcourts was the tougher challenge
pain’s Rafael Nadal and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev pose for a picture before the 2022 Australian Open final
Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic
Daniil Medvedev is never one to shy away from expressing his thoughts and the Russian was quite forthright when he was asked in Indian Wells on Friday whether playing Novak Djokovic on hard courts or playing Rafael Nadal on clay courts was a tougher challenge.
“I didn’t play Rafa on clay. Rafa on clay is probably the worst and best challenge in tennis,” the Russian, who has on a 15-match winning streak (all on hardcourts) said. “When I say “worst,” it’s because he lost, I don’t know, 10 matches? I’m not even sure he lost 10. I mean, last (few) years he was losing a little bit more in tournaments like Rome and Monte-Carlo. But, I will be honest, I’m scared to play Rafa on clay. In a way I want to try it, and for sure I will fight to win, but that must be scary to go out against Rafa on clay.”
Novak Djokovic in Australia is tough – Medvedev
Medvedev trails Nadal 5-1 in career head-to-head with all of those matches coming on hardcourts and none on clay.
The Russian, who has beaten Djokovic in five of their 14 career meetings (four out of 12 on hardcourts), also believes that Djokovic plays his best tennis in Australia but is not sure of the reason why.
“Novak (Djokovic), I managed to beat him few times. But again, that’s the two guys who have 22 Grand Slams. I would say, you know what? Novak in Australia is tough. I had few, I would say, I lost probably four times against him, four or five there. Didn’t win once even though some of them were close battles, especially ATP Cup or the first time I played him in the Australian Open. But thinking back of these matches, I don’t know why there he plays, in my opinion, better than on other continents or courts. But, that’s tough, same like Rafa on clay, he barely loses there. Tough challenges, and I hope I can do it one day in my career.”
I’m sure on a good day I can win any tournament in the world
Daniil Medvedev
The Russian defeated Brandon Nakashima in straight sets at Indian Wells, a tournament where he has never made the quarter-finals. But with three titles on the trot and riding high on confidence, Medvedev believes that he has a chance to win the tournament this time around.
“I think I can win, honestly, I have to believe I can win anywhere,” the former US Open champion said. “I’m sure on a good day I can win any tournament in the world, because I managed to win different ones many times. The thing is that definitely if I have a bad day in Indian Wells, that’s going to be much tougher than anywhere else, so I have to have this good day every day. But again, what makes me really confident is my title in Doha, because similar conditions, very similar, like maybe even the same. I feel like it’s even slower here, but very similar. I managed to get the title there. It’s less matches, four against six. But again, I’m sure I can do it. Just need to have a lot of good days (smiling).
