French Open: Daniil Medvedev doesn’t want to take pressure after Rome triumph

Daniil Medvedev is heading into the French Open 2023 with newfound confidence on clay courts.

Despite previously considering clay his least favorite surface, World No.2 Medvedev recently secured his first tour-level title on clay in Rome, winning the ATP Masters 1000 event.

With a strong 10-2 record on clay this season, Medvedev has become one of the favorites for the French Open, even though he has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in previous attempts.

The 27-year-old Russian expressed his desire to avoid putting excessive pressure on himself and not become complacent after his recent success. Medvedev acknowledged the positive impact of his victories in Rome, including defeating top-ranked players like Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. He emphasised the importance of balancing his confidence with caution to avoid underestimating his opponents in the early rounds.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, in a way,” said Medvedev during his pre-tournament press conference. “But what happened in Rome was amazing, especially beating a lot of good players, you know: Zverev, Tsitsipas, Rune, Zapata Miralles, Ruusuvuori, who went three sets with Alcaraz in Madrid.

“That’s an amazing feeling, and I for sure maybe have more expectation than I usually have in Roland Garros. But I know that it’s also tricky and you have to kind of use this confidence, but not get cocky, because that’s where the danger is. Sometimes you think, ‘Oh, well, I played so well, now it’s going to be easy’. Then the first round you have problems. You can get angry and maybe lose the match. I have been in this situation many times, and I just want to try to play good tennis here in Roland Garros.”

Despite the slight adjustment needed for the different conditions in Paris, Medvedev expressed feeling good during his practice sessions on Court Philippe Chatrier. He noted that the balls felt heavier, indicating longer rallies compared to previous years. Medvedev remains focused on delivering his best performance during the tournament and downplayed the significance of practice sessions leading up to the event.