Medvedev does not trust his rival in the Almaty final: "He doesn't care how I play"

Daniil Medvedev is having a great week at the ATP 250 Almaty 2026, not only because of his high level of play during a crucial moment of the season for him but also due to the great attitude and emotional management he is displaying in his matches. Just one step away from the title, he spoke at a press conference about who his opponent will be in that encounter: Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Winning matches at this time of the year is crucial for Daniil Medvedev, aware that he has little margin for error if he wants to secure his presence at the ATP Finals 2026, which is a major goal for the Russian. He feels good at this ATP 250 Almaty 2026, a tournament where he aims to defend the title he won last year, and in the press conference, he clearly showed he is not taking Nikoloz Basilashvili lightly, a always dangerous opponent.

At 34 years old, the Georgian is one of the most inconsistent and difficult players to interpret on the circuit. He appears and disappears based on reasons known only to him, but during inspired weeks, he is a truly tough player to beat for anyone. He is proving this in Almaty, with notable victories against Cilic, Mannarino, and Tsitsipas.

Medvedev analyzes Basilashvili's game

"Probably Nikoloz is feeling nerves too, because for him, it's his first final since 2022. However, knowing him, it might not be like that. He can play at a very high level. He strikes the ball with tremendous power, and in a way, it seems like he doesn't care much about what his opponent does. Regardless of who he plays against, he usually maintains his style and sticks to his plan."

"My job will be to counter that style of play and try to impose mine. We've only faced each other once, and that day he made quite a few errors. We all know how well Nikoloz can play, although he can also have less accurate days. That's why I hope tomorrow's match will be completely different. My goal will be to try to win."

How he will approach the 45th final of his professional career

"Now I feel less nervous than I did in my first three or four finals, which is logical. At first, you play a final and lose it; then you play another, but until you manage to win one, there is still a lot of tension. Later come finals of higher categories: first an ATP 500, then a Masters 1000, and finally a Grand Slam. At each stage, those nerves appear."

"Over time, what remains is a pleasant feeling, that pre-match tension that helps you prepare. It’s no longer the anxiety of someone trying to take a step forward and prove something. There are still nerves, but they are good; I no longer feel that extreme tension."

Daniil Medvedev is fully aware of how difficult it is to win titles in today's tennis and how much lifting the trophy at this ATP 250 Almaty 2026 can boost his confidence. He is right not to relax even a bit, as he knows well the danger that Nikoloz Basilashvili poses in the final, an opponent who is hard to read.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev no se fía de su rival en la final de Almaty: "No le importa nada cómo juegue yo"