Daniil Medvedev Names Two Players He’s “Working Hard” to Beat on Clay This Season
Daniil Medvedev has failed to reach the final of any tournament this year and is yet to reach the semi-finals on clay this season.
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Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/Meddy Family)
Daniil Medvedev has lacked the magic in his playing style this season, which has seen him struggle against top players. This season, he is yet to reach a tournament final, having been to two semi-finals. Ahead of the French Open, he has revealed two players he looks forward to beating on clay.
Medvedev has failed to reach the semi-final of a clay tournament this season as well. He has shown that he can play at the top level on the surface, but not against top players. He opened his account at the Monte Carlo Masters, winning just two matches before losing to Alex de Minaur in the round of 16.
At the Madrid Open, he reached the quarter-finals before losing to the eventual champion Casper Ruud in straight sets. The World No.11 then reached the round of 16 of the Italian Open before losing to semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 4-6. The last time he claimed a clay-court title was in Rome in 2023.
Medvedev has not had success at the Roland Garros previously, and there are not many expectations for him there. His best run at the tournament was back in 2021, when he reached the quarter-finals of the tournament. In this year’s edition, he will be the eleventh seed, which sees him likely face Novak Djokovic, Jack Draper, or Musetti in the round of 16.
Medvedev revealed during an interview that he’s currently working hard to get to his best level on the red dirt. He added that he aims to beat Ruud and Musetti at the clay-court Grand Slam, which begins on May 25. Daniil Medvedev said via Championat:
At the peak moments of my career, my game was based on counter attacking, especially on the return. I feel that I'm close to finding things on clay that will help me regain my best level on other surfaces. My goal is to be able to beat players like Ruud or Musetti, and I believe I can achieve it if I keep working hard.
Medvedev plays his best tennis on hard court but sometimes does well on clay. It might be a daunting task for him to beat any of the Top 5 players at the Roland Garros. However, if he does win a match against a top player at the tournament, it will boost his confidence going forward into the grass-court season.
Daniil Medvedev says he’s working hard to return to the Top 5 of the ATP rankings
Daniil Medvedev dropped out of the top 10 ahead of the clay season for the first time since January 2023. The Russian star did get back into the elite position but dropped after Casper Ruud claimed the Madrid Open. His drop has been a proof that there’s something amiss in his game.
The 29-year-old has downplayed his struggles on the court, especially when it comes to titles. He has on several occasions insisted that the titles will surely come, despite lack of consistency in his performance. He revealed during the aforementioned interview that he will continue to work hard. He added:
To be honest, I don’t think my clay court swing has been bad. I've had good wins against players who excel on this surface and lost to top-level rivals who are in excellent form. I know that if I want to return to the top 5, I have to beat some of them, but all I can do is keep working so that moment arrives. From what I'm hearing, if you analyze my statistics, I've been playing better tennis on clay than on hard court in the last two years.
Medvedev reached the fourth round of the French Open last year before losing to Alex de Minaur in four sets. The Russian won the first set, but allowed the Australian to rally back into the match. He hopes to do better at this year’s edition of the event.
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