Medvedev qualifies his hatred, but “I won’t say I love the land”

the russian Daniel Medvedev the new champion of the Masters 1,000 in Rome, his first title on clay, acknowledged that he has come to terms with this surface that he has never loved, but with which he now has a “friendship”.

“I always try to do my best in tournaments and believe in it, but at the same time in every match I don’t know if I can win because I usually hate it, I’m not comfortable and I don’t play well in it,” he said in the center court at the Foro Italico. where he was proclaimed champion, just after the match.

“I’ve been in Madrid and Monte Carlo, I didn’t feel bad, but when I came here and I felt perfect in training, I didn’t know what was going on. I’m very happy to prove to everyone that I’m capable of winning here too,” he added.

The Russian beat the Danish Holger Rune in two sets, doubles 7-5: “It was a great match, no one knew how to dominate the match well and I’m happy that I did it before him at the end.”

“Now I have a friendship with clay, I wouldn’t say I love it because I love hard courts, but now I like clay more,” he said.

“I still don’t believe it, not that he won it, but that he played so well this week. I don’t believe it,” he declared at a press conference after the game.

“Honestly, when I saw my draw here, I was like in the car, like ‘wow, this is the hardest draw I’ve ever had. Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round, Zapata Mirallesthat plays well on clay, then Zverev or Hurkacz. Etc. And I achieved it,” he thought.

In addition, he wants to put a trophy of high value on the surface that has been so far elusive.

“In a way I put it as the most important of my career number because it’s the first on clay and it’s incredible. I never thought I could do it,” he said.

But honestly, a Grand Slam is always bigger. So the US Open will always be number one,” he said.