“Not easy to play here at all,” Daniil Medvedev blasts the quality of balls at the China Open during his win over Gael Monfils
Daniil Medvedev is next in line to secure World Tour Finals birth after qualifications of Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner.
Daniil Medvedev (Image via X)
World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev voiced his frustration with the tennis balls used at the China Open after his win against Gael Monfils in the first round. The former World No. 1 said that the slow balls made it harder for both players to hit winners.
Medvedev defeated Monfils 6-3, 6-4 in a 92-minute match. This victory was a big boost for him after a disappointing performance at the Laver Cup, where he lost to Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton.
It was a tough match. It’s not easy to play here at all. The balls… Every week of the calendar, I feel like they can’t get any slower, but every week I feel like they’re at least as slow as the previous ones. They get huge, after two games it’s almost impossible to hit a winner unless you have a very, very fast hand, like Sinner, Alcaraz or maybe a Grigor Dimitrov.
Daniil Medvedev said in the post-match press conference (H/T: Punto de Break)
Both players tried to hit more winners during the match, leading to exhaustion. Monfils, being the older of the two, struggled more, making 46 unforced errors, while Medvedev had 22.
At one point, we (with Gael Monfils) were both aware that we couldn’t hit winners: we ran, ran and put the ball inside the court. I was able to do better, so I’m happy to have won. I think he was a little more tired than me
Daniil Medvedev added
Medvedev took advantage of his chances, converting five of the ten break points offered by Monfils. This helped him secure a solid win in the opening round.
Daniil Medvedev satisfied with yet another consistent season in 2024
By defeating Gael Monfils, Daniil Medvedev secured his 40th tour-level win of the season. This marks the sixth time the 28-year-old has achieved this milestone in his career. The win also strengthened his chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals, where he is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 580 points ahead of Taylor Fritz in fifth.
Honestly, the wins are, in a way, not important because it depends on how many tournaments you play, but it’s still good to win a lot of matches. So I’m happy that I’ve managed to continue winning matches. I still have some tournaments to go, so I have the chance to bring the tally even higher. I try to be consistent throughout the year. Sometimes I’m more consistent, sometimes less, but that’s what I’m trying to do.
Daniil Medvedev said in the post-match interview
Medvedev’s strong season has been highlighted by his performances in Grand Slam events. Earlier this year, he reached his third Australian Open final, losing to Jannik Sinner. However, he got his revenge by defeating Sinner in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Sinner struck back in their US Open clash, defeating Medvedev in four sets during the quarterfinals. This was the second time since 2021 that Medvedev had made it to three Grand Slam quarterfinals in a season. He also reached the final at Indian Wells, losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
Medvedev has struggled to turn those deep runs into titles this season despite reaching the later stages of many tournaments. However, he can stay positive, knowing he has consistently put himself in a position to win. He has previously found success on indoor hard courts, winning the 2020 World Tour Finals.
Fahad Hamid
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