Medvedev explains what needs to be done to defeat Alcaraz

Carlos Navarro | 25 Sep 2024 | 14.10

Daniil Medvedev in a press conference. Source: Getty

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Daniil Medvedev begins his journey in the ATP Beijing 2024 as one of the top contenders for the title. He defends last year's final, where he fell to Jannik Sinner, and enters this Asian tour with the great goal of securing his spot in the ATP Finals and once again conquering a major title. The trophy drought has extended since the Rome tournament last year, too long for a figure like Daniil not to taste victory. In his pre-tournament press conference, he talked about the possibility of facing Carlos Alcaraz, his Laver Cup experience, and his fondness for the Chinese audience.

- Potential showdown against Alcaraz in the semifinals... requiring his best version:

"First of all, we both come here from the Laver Cup, so we need to win the initial matches. It won't be easy considering the jet lag and everything else. Normally, you have more preparation time, but this is very short. If we meet, facing Carlos is definitely not easy, especially when he's on fire. I saw it when we played the Laver Cup, he played at a high level, and the rest of the guys had no chance. You have to be at your best, try to keep constant pressure on him. That's when maybe you have a chance. That's the most important part, playing your best tennis."

- His primary goal for this tournament

"No matter the tournament I play, I want to win. The player list is very strong, just like last year. If I want to win the tournament, I have to bring my best level from the first to the last match. It won't be easy, but it's the goal. Regarding the draw, if Sinner and Alcaraz are in the tournament, you won't be one of the top two seeds, so you might face either of them in the semifinals. It's challenging, but I want to take it step by step, improve my level gradually, and show a good version of myself."

- Reflecting on his Laver Cup experience

"It was a fantastic experience. Yes, I was the only one on my team who didn't get a point, but it's okay, that's why it's a team competition. My team won, that's what matters, and I was very happy. As for my matches, I gave my best. Twice I lost in a supertiebreak, which is a bit of a lottery. You have to be precise in those moments, and I wasn't. Tournament tales? I could tell too many. We had great times together; I think there's no other time of the year where you support some of your rivals in such a way and with such intensity. It's a fun experience, I really enjoyed playing the Laver Cup."

- On the evolution of tennis in China and the support from the audience

"I believe Chinese tennis is improving. I'm not sure if anyone was top-100 before, but no one was top-50, that's for sure. Now Zhizhen (Zhang) is there, I think Jerry (Shang) with his title also came very close. They played at a high level; Yibing Wu was also there but got injured. China has great players, they could be interesting for the Davis Cup. They are improving, that's the only way to grow. I wish them both the best, except when they face me (laughs).

As for the audience, I love China. I love the Chinese fans, also the food, I always enjoy coming back here. I usually do well at this time of the year. I don't know if I'll have time to see something new in China: the better you play, the less time you have to see new things. Maybe if I don't perform well, I might see something different (laughs)."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev explica qué hay que hacer para derrotar a Alcaraz