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Daniil Medvedev opened his ATP Finals title defense with a thrilling three-set win over Hubert Hurkacz on Sunday. The Russian, who is the second seed at this year's event, needed exactly two hours to complete the 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 comeback win over his inspired opponent.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Medvedev described the courts in Turin as "the fastest he has ever faced" at an ATP event. But the 25-year-old was quick to assert his liking for the conditions, saying that he "definitely enjoyed" playing there.
Medvedev also claimed that the fans will likely to get to see longer rallies as the players get used to the conditions a little more going forward.
"I definitely enjoy hardcourts, that's the only thing I can say," Medvedev said. "I think I prefer fast conditions, but here it's probably the fastest I have ever faced on the ATP tour."
"For me and Hubi it was like just who makes one good shot in the point," Medvedev continued. "I wonder if it's going to be the same for other guys and, yeah, sometimes during the tournament you get more used to it and that's where you have more points and stuff."
Shifting his focus to his title defense, Daniil Medvedev claimed he didn't feel any additional pressure coming into the tournament. The Russian, who lifted the season-ending trophy in London last year, also said the change in venue had created a completely different vibe for the ATP Finals.
Medvedev added that even though he wanted to "feel" like the defending champion, he did not.
"I do know I won London last year," Medvedev said. "it was still Nitto ATP Finals, but we're different place, like different hotel, different venue, everything is so different."
"So I want to feel myself as the defending champ, but I don't," he added. "I definitely didn't feel any pressure and I will be only happy if a lot of people consider myself as defending champ."
"I was never good at sprints, I didn't have good coordination for quick starts" - Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev had made a comment about his poor sprinting skills earlier this week. When asked about it on Sunday, the 25-year-old reiterated that he was never good at short distance races.
Medvedev had also recently called himself "uncoordinated" during an interaction with Iga Swiatek. He said in his presser that he could never ensure a good start in sprints, but added that the movement in a 100-meter race is "very different" from that on a tennis court.
"I was doing it when I was younger, you do the tests in the Federation or whatever and I was never good," Medvedev said. "Like I didn't have good coordination to have a good, fast start and to follow my pace on the hundred meters because it's so different to what we're doing on the court, the movement."
The Russian further claimed that players like Alex de Minaur and Gael Monfils would be better bets if anyone was looking for quick sprinters in tennis.
"If I need to think fast, so, for example, I want to put De Minaur out there," he continued. "I'm sure Gael Monfils, it's impossible to hit winners against him, I would put him on No. 1 out of tennis players."
