Medvedev: "You have to win for yourself, you can't lose and say that the AI didn't help you"

Iker Jiménez | 26 Apr 2026 | 11.04

Medvedev: "You have to win for yourself, you can't lose and say that AI did not help you." Source: Getty

Streaming ATP Madrid live tennis

🎾 Cameron Norrie vs Thiago Agustin Tirante

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Daniil Medvedev had to fight to overcome Fabian Marozsan in his debut at the Mutua Madrid Open 2026, in a match full of ups and downs that he ended up resolving in three sets. The Russian started strong, experienced a dip in the second set, and ultimately managed to react in time to close out the match in the deciding set.

An important victory for Medvedev, who arrived in Madrid after a tough defeat against Matteo Berrettini in Montecarlo, where he didn't manage to win a single game. At the Caja Mágica, where he reached the quarterfinals in the last two editions, he seeks to rediscover his form. His next opponent will be the surprising Budkov Kjaer.

Regaining Confidence

“It was a tough match today. At some point, I could have thought: ‘Is it like the previous match? Is this affecting me?', but I'm happy to have been able to stay strong until the end and close out the match. You need to win more matches like this to gradually build confidence. The important thing is that the level was very high, and that gives you confidence because you think: if I play like this, I can beat many players. Obviously, if they play very well, they can also beat me, that's tennis. But if I continue on this good path I found after Montecarlo, I will play well and win many matches.”

Match Point with a Net Touch

“It was a strange point because I ended up with a ball that touched the net and went over. I felt like he had had some during the match, so I told him that I would prefer to win with a passing shot, that he had to volley and see what happened... but well, that's how it is. I apologized and we laughed. He's a very nice guy, and I feel like we have a good relationship.”

AI in Tennis

“In general, I don't like AI, to be honest. Although sometimes I might be a bit lazy, I think there are things you have to do yourself. I feel like a lot of people sit on the couch and let AI live their lives, and I don't like that. For fun with friends or with the team, we have done it a few times, but just for fun. Because you see things and say: ‘okay, I understand this... but how do I do it on the court?’. In the end, you have to do it yourself. That's why I think people are sometimes better than AI: you have to win for yourself, you can't lose and say that AI didn't help you.”

Difficulty with the 'Smash'

“I have always wondered if it's something you learn when you're young or if it's a natural talent. It's sometimes hard for me. There are players who, even in practice, don't care about the position and hit 10 out of 10. And I think: how? The ball goes up, down, sideways for me... I don't understand when it drops. It's difficult for me, but when I have the chance, I try to hit a winner. It's a hard shot for me, although I know that for others it's not, and I'm quite intrigued about why.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev: "Tienes que ganar por ti mismo, no puedes perder y decir que la IA no te ayudó"