Medvedev's press conference after losing to Alcaraz @ 2023 Indian Wells final 3-6, 2-6.

C. ALCARAZ/D. Medvedev

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: First of all, Daniil, not the result you had hoped for today, but what can you summarize from today and also your performance all week in Indian Wells?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, a week would be easier to summarize than today, because today, tough. I didn’t play my best. He probably played good, and that happens unfortunately sometimes in tennis.

I mean, because already it’s not that long after the match, but I was thinking it happens, you know. After my match with Novak I was the same. I was, like, I played pretty well but Novak didn’t play his best. You know, sometimes that’s what happens.

Why didn’t I play my best? I don’t know. Maybe it was his ball. Maybe it was the wind, was pretty windy today, and for him it was easier to go through this wind, and that’s normal. That’s what’s easier to do for him.

So I have no real reasons, and sometimes in tennis you don’t have them. Disappointed with the result, but the week was amazing. Because Indian Wells, to make final, I mean, I’m just super happy and proud, because it’s a clay court on hard court. That’s a good result for me.

A lot of points. A lot of things to see in the season. Started it really well. I made already more points than last year at that point.

So yeah. I see only good things, and looking forward to Miami, for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I know you didn’t play your best today, and I know you have seen a lot of him play. You watch a lot of tennis. This is the first time you’ve played against this version of Carlos Alcaraz. What is it like to play him?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: He’s playing good. You know, I feel like he was serving well today. Serve and volley was good. Like even I knew that it’s never easy to finish a match, especially a final. I was thinking about my match with Novak in US Open, and, you know, try to do the same, put pressure on him.

For example, deuce, I made finally like a very good return on his serve and volley, sliding forehand volley, dropshot, yeah. It’s not easy to play him. I would definitely love to play him on other surface, like maybe a little bit faster hard courts to see if I could do better.

Yeah, again, I don’t know if it’s his game that didn’t let me play my best level today or just, for whatever reason, I didn’t play my best level. Mentally I was ready for the match. I don’t feel like I kind of took it too easy before the match. I was ready for a fight. I knew that I have a tough opponent on the other side.

He played well. Good dropshots in good moments, some good winners to break me. So not much more to add.

Q. You have been No. 1, Carlos will be back at No. 1 again. How do you guys, as the players, sort of view the ranking right now with Novak’s situation, the fact he hasn’t been able to play much? Is it a true No. 1 in your mind?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Oh, yeah, 100% because it’s for sure unfortunate Novak cannot play all the tournaments, and I’m sure everyone would love to see him play, because it’s just good to see Novak play. He plays very good.

But it is what it is, you know. If you get injured, I don’t know, Rafa is injured for some time. We also can say, well, if Rafa would not be injured he would be No. 1. Well, we cannot know because he’s injured.

Same about Novak. For sure if he would be able to play last year and this year all the tournaments, there is a possibility that the rankings would be different. But… But, there shouldn’t be no “buts.”

Carlos is deservedly World No. 1. He won more points than everybody else in last 52 weeks, and that’s how rankings work. Yeah, he was also year-end No. 1 last year, so that’s something I haven’t done, so I’ll try, for sure, in my career. Yeah.

Q. Does your performances here over the past 12 days give you confidence for the clay court season?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: A little bit tough to answer, because as much as I said about this court, at least, look, to not back off from my words I said in the third round or whatever, you don’t have to slide here. Sliding is a little bit something that’s not easy for me on clay courts.

But I made some good results in the past on clay courts in some big tournaments. I’m feeling great right now at this part of the season, mentally, physically, honestly, in my tennis.

So I’m looking forward, for sure, for clay season but first I want to try to do well in Miami where it’s still hard courts even if maybe it will be very slow.

Q. You just said you’re obviously disappointed at the end result, but at the same time, does this sit with you for a day or two when you consider the conditions today and how well he was also playing, or do you get over it pretty quickly?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think this one I will get over pretty quickly. Depends how many finals you lost in a row, what were your previous results. I don’t know. Sometimes how you’re feeling in life right now.

Answering all these questions, I feel pretty well, I won three tournaments, I managed to make my best result in Indian Wells where before I couldn’t make it to quarters, and already my second match was three-setter.

A lot of positives, for sure. I think this one, like I will be forever disappointed that I didn’t win the final, but I can laugh already and whatever, I’m gonna try to win the next one or win this one next year.

So yeah, looking forward already and, for sure, will not think too much about this one but will discuss it with my coach, for sure.

Q. Your winning streak has come to an end.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Damn, one away from my record. That’s actually disappointing (smiling).

Q. But is it also a sense of relief, like that pressure is gone of keeping the streak alive?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Oh, no, I’m really disappointed because I had 20 one time, if I’m not mistaken, 20 or 21, but I think it was 20. This would be cool to try to beat it and maybe try to prolong it as long as possible.

It’s great to have these streaks. You feel great, because in the streaks you will always have maybe some easier by the ranking opponents but some top ones also. Unless you play, I don’t know, six 250s in a row, but that’s rare.

Yeah, really disappointed that it ended, but a lot of confidence from this streak. Because last year, that’s what I was missing, kind of these streaks. I was doing sometimes finals, semis in Cincinnati, kind of playing good but not playing well enough in the semis. I managed to win 19 matches in a row. I’m proud of it, and now it’s time to try to build a new streak. There is no other way in tennis.

Q. It’s easy to be a critic with a pen and a notebook sitting in the stands watching you play. Do you feel like you made enough changes, considering how the match was going and the tactics and the way you were playing?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: It was not easy, because I tried for sure, that’s what I try to do all the time if something is not working, but he was kind of cutting the rhythm well. When I say “cutting the rhythm,” you know, when the guy serves 130 on the T and you don’t return it, not much you can change.

Then, I don’t know, the moment I started feeling like maybe I was getting a little bit better in the rally and missing less — I was missing a lot for whatever reason today — he did like this game where he did three dropshots in a row where I couldn’t really see them, so then I got ready for it and I won couple at the end. But again, talking about the serve and volley on a deuce point, which he made.

So I will talk more with my coach to see, for sure for the next matches, if I want to win, you know, I have to change more or just be better.

But, yeah, I don’t have any regrets saying I should have changed this or that, but just should have played better in general. No regrets in terms of kind of tactics.

https://bnpparibasopen.com/news/daniil-medvedev-sunday-march-19-2023/