Gilles Simon calls Daniil Medvedev a "genius," says he loves the Russian's "unique" style of play

In a recent interview with L'Equipe, Gilles Simon showered praise on Daniil Medvedev and his style of play. The Frenchman described the Russian as a "genius" and explained that he "fell in love" with Medvedev's style of play the moment he saw him on the court.

Medvedev will be crowned the new World No. 1 on Monday, becoming the first player outside the Big 4 to reach the top spot since 2004. At 6'6'', the Russian will also be the tallest player to climb to the peak of the ATP rankings.

Simon, who has beaten Medvedev in each of their three previous meetings, hailed the Russian as an "extremely intelligent player who understands everything." The Frenchman also compared the soon-to-be World No.1 to a chess player, highlighting his ability to understand his opponent's moves and react accordingly.

"He's an interesting player and I quickly fell in love with him and his style of play. He's extremely intelligent and he understands everything. In fact, he is a chess player: he understands in advance what is going to happen. In his entourage, no one is going to piss him off on tactics," said Simon.

"He is the one who manages it, he sees everything better than anyone. That's not where you're going to make him progress," added 37-year-old.

Simon feels it takes people "a long time" to understand Medvedev's gamestyle because it is so unique. He further emphasized that he likes the Russian's approach because he focuses on timing more than power.

"People have taken a long time to understand his style of play because they are not used to it. For players, it's different. When you faced him once, you understood! He's a f*****g genius!" mentioned Simon.

"I also like his game because, when he accelerates, it's not brutal, it's not violent. It's only a matter of timing, not brute force. He is not in the logic of 90% of the guys, caresses the ball. He is an authentic player. It is a unique path. That's what I respect above all else," concluded the French player.

Daniil Medvedev to rise to No. 1 despite loss to Rafael Nadal in Acapulco semifinals

Rafael Nadal with Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open 2022

Daniil Medvedev will rise to the No. 1 spot on Monday despite suffering a straight-sets loss to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the Mexican Open on Friday.

The Russian was unable to convert any of the 11 breakpoint opportunities he earned during the match, which contributed to his 6-3, 6-3 loss. Medvedev has now lost five of six meetings with Nadal, including last month's Australian Open final.

Nadal, meanwhile, improved to 14-0 this season. He is yet to drop a set at the Acapulco Open. The Spaniard will face Cameron Norrie in the final on Saturday as he eyes a record-leveling fourth title in the Mexican city.