Daniil Medvedev, 24, waited until the very end of the year to finally lift his first trophy in 2020 by beating Zverev in the Rolex Paris Masters final. The Russian, who will return to 4th place in the world on Monday, appreciates his return to the fore after difficult months …
What does this first success inspire you in 2020?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV. It really is a magnificent victory. I am very happy with my level of play, with my mental behavior… The last few weeks have not gone as I wanted. When you’re top 10, you only want titles and not everyone can have them. After St. Petersburg and Vienna, I could have been a bit defeated and training a bit less well but I knew I had to keep going and it would come back. It could have waited until next year but the feelings returned here and this title is the icing on the cake.
How did you manage to stay in the game?
In the first set he served amazingly and I couldn’t get a break point. Honestly after the first set I didn’t think I would win because he was playing really great. I felt that the game was slipping away from me a bit but I stayed there and I managed to put the pressure on by raising my level of play little by little. My second serve ball helped me. When you’re in top form, you know you can drop a bigger second ball. At the end of the second set and at the start of the third, I couldn’t find my first serve. And there, my second shot and the first shot afterwards were often very good.
Does winning in France, where you were trained, have a particular flavor for you?
Of course, I am one of the most French of all the foreigners in the top 100! There aren’t many who speak it as well as I do… I lived for a few years in the south of France and I live in Monaco. It’s still close… Before, in tournaments in France, I had never managed to show my best level. Already, there is Roland-Garros (Editor’s note: zero victory in four participations) and clay is not easy for me. The other times, I was not well in the head or physically. I’m happy to prove and prove to myself that I can play well anywhere.
What do you expect from the London Masters (November 15-22)?
The most important thing is to get in better shape than last year. In 2019, I was really exhausted. I lost in the first round here. This is where you lose confidence. I hope I will win a few matches in London. It’s hard to have other goals when you play three top 8 or top 10 in your group…
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
