Medvedev Says: "I have never thought about changing my nationality"

Carlos Navarro | 21 Jan 2026 | 17.05

Daniil Medvedev talked about his nationality issues. Source: Getty

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Daniil Medvedev has put all his energy and focus on shining and silencing critics in this 2026 Australian Open. He didn't have it easy in his second-round match against Quentin Halys: losing the first set and facing an early break in the second, but he refreshed, found solutions, and ended up cruising to victory in four sets. This is a significant improvement compared to the Daniil of 2025, drowned in defeats in marathon matches where concentration often slipped away.

This year is different, with a rejuvenated Medvedev under his new team's guidance, following a philosophy similar to the one that led him to the top of the rankings not long ago. Nonetheless, off the court, he remains the same: not shying away from controversial topics, daring to share interesting anecdotes, and speaking eloquently and maturely. In this vein, during the post-match press conference, the Russian responded to criticism from Oleksandra Oliynykova, a Ukrainian player who criticized him for participating in an exhibition in Russian territory, and also adopted a calmer approach to the debate on balls in the circuit.

Medvedev reflects on the nationality changes of Russian players and the ball discussion in the circuit

- Great victory after losing the first set against Halys: turned around a match where he was a set and a break down

"I think the performance could have been better, but a win is a win. I played better as the match progressed. I felt he was very sharp. It's an important victory because last year I struggled when people played well against me, losing several matches. Here, I'm happy to turn things around. You never want to lose the first set, especially when serving to win it in the tiebreak. On that set point, I served normally, and he crushed me with the return.

Then you start wondering if you could have served better, how his return landed right on the line and not slightly out. From that point on, it was step by step. I went to the locker room to change, which usually helps me refocus. I thought, 'How do I win this match now? Ok, one-zero for him. We can't change that.' In the first game of the second set, I struggled and got broken. Nevertheless, I had to keep trying. From there, happy to turn it around and break his serve multiple times."

- Medvedev offered an interesting reflection on the world of podcasts, pointing out that he is not very attracted to it at the moment and there is one thing he dislikes about several former players

"It's a complicated path. I don't usually listen to podcasts, but you always come across those one-minute snippets. For example, I have a lot of respect for Roddick, because I feel he never attacks players, is very respectful, and only talks about tennis. When I finish my career, I want to be very cautious about that. Maybe that's why I wouldn't like to talk about tennis, because I don't want to be the type who ends their career and starts talking about players as if they don't know how to play tennis anymore, talking about my era, Alcaraz, and Sinner, and that today's guys are amateurs... I hope to never become that. If I am like that, I won't do interviews."

- Amusing anecdote with his coaches about the climate in the locker room and the comparison with that from 20 years ago

"Five days ago, I was talking to my coaches, Rohan and Thomas. Rohan has been coaching for about 20 years, and Thomas was playing back then. I've always said the atmosphere in our locker room is very friendly. Yes, sometimes we may have moments on the court, but perhaps there are only two or three guys, at most, whom you don't get along with in the top 100. Overall, the atmosphere is very friendly. Everyone enjoys and has a good time, even before the matches.

However, they told me that 20 years ago, the atmosphere was as toxic as you can imagine. That's what Thomas tells me. These are stories he shares that I will never reveal. It surprised me a lot. I told him: 'Look, that's why you ended your careers earlier, because the pressure was constant.' He told me stories about how you were under constant pressure from the moment you arrived at the locker room. Fortunately, in ours, everything is great. You see Alcaraz and Sinner sharing jets, stuff like that. It's great, it makes us enjoy tennis and life on the circuit."

- Several days ago, a Ukrainian player criticized him for participating in an exhibition, in Russia, funded by Gazprom, a company with ties to the Ukraine conflict. How can he respond?

"In general, I respect everyone's opinions. Outside the court, I respect all opinions. That's hers, and honestly, I have nothing to say about it."

- Many Russian players, like Potapova or Kudermetova, have changed their nationality this preseason. Has he considered it? Does he understand it?

"As I said, I respect and completely understand everyone. It's something that, in the sports world, you can do, maybe it's easier for us than for other people. I have never thought about doing it because I believe where you are born is important, it means something. Politics and such topics are separate, so I have never considered it. But well, many players have changed, and I remain friends with them. I am friends with many, it's their decision."

- On the heaviness of the balls and how he feels the conditions in Melbourne this year

"I said it in Brisbane. We've been talking about this for a long time, and I feel the courts are becoming slightly faster. I heard Hong Kong was super fast, Brisbane was also quite speedy. The courts at the Australian Open are not slow. I wouldn't classify them as fast, because you still see rallies and fewer aces, but I would say they are of medium speed or even slightly close to fast.

Regarding the balls, same thing. Surely, there was a time when I was the player who complained the most about balls. I feel they are improving. It's still a fact that rackets, courts, and players' tennis style constantly change. Now everyone hits the ball hard, and we still have the same rule about when to change balls. Perhaps this is something we could stop and think about because if this rule was applied 15 or 40 years ago, tennis was very different back then. But well, in general, I feel we are being heard now and there is increasing variety in terms of surfaces and balls."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev se moja: "Jamás he pensado en cambiar mi nacionalidad"

Daniil Medvedev