"The reason Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic keep winning Slams despite being 36 plus" - Fans react to Daniil Medvedev being 'scared' of Spaniard on clay

Daniil Medvedev's remarks on being "scared" of Rafael Nadal's claycourt prowess at the 2024 Madrid Open have sparked a discussion among tennis fans.

Nadal is delivering a strong campaign in his likely final appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. He claimed a commanding 6-1, 6-0 win over Darwin Blanch in his tournament opener and avenged his straight-set Barcelona Open loss to Alex de Minaur, beating the Australian 7-6(6), 6-3 to reach the third round.

Medvedev, meanwhile, edged past Matteo Arnaldi 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in his opening match to book his place in the third round in Madrid.

Following his win, the World No. 4 spoke about Nadal's intimidating presence on clay, admitting that the 37-year-old sparked fear in his opponents regardless of his form or physical condition.

"No matter which form Rafa or how he is feeling when he steps, especially on clay, I would say even it doesn't matter if it's clay or hard court, but especially on clay, you're still scared," he said in his post-match press conference.

Medvedev also highlighted the Spaniard's enduring prowess on clay, evident in his stunning win over De Minaur, acknowledging that the 22-time Grand Slam champion still poses a "dangerous" threat.

"Still scared of Rafa who wins like 80 matches and loses 1, something like this. And he proved it today [vs De Minaur], you know two hours, I didn't see the match, I was playing at the same time but two hours he managed to win so probably feeling better and better," he said.

"Definitely dangerous. Let's see how he does further on. If he can play better and better I think it's good. It's going to be very fun and tough for other players," he added.

One fan suggested that the fear younger players like Daniil Medvedev hold for Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic allowed them to keep winning Grand Slam titles despite being over 36.

"Players like Medvedev are the reason Rafa and Djokovic keep winning slams despite being 36 plus of age," the fan posted.

"This is the exact attitude why this generation is called weak, even though some of them have the game, they have accepted defeat against the big three before the match starts," another fan suggested.

Other fans, meanwhile, praised the Russian for his respect for the legends of the sport, like Djokovic and the 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal.

"Medvedev always respectful towards other players especially legends like Rafa and Novak. Classy!" one fan commented.

"Daniil’s humble respect for both nadal and novak, particularly after a number of crushing defeats at their hands, shows what a truly good guy he is," another fan chimed in.

Several fans also asserted that Medvedev's sentiments stemmed from his heartbreaking loss to the Spaniard in the 2022 Australian Open final.

"He's definitely talking from experience," one fan wrote.

"And he knows it by experience!! AO22 unforgetable!!!" said another.

"Scar tissue speaking for Daniil here. But of course, no one would like to face Rafa even if he's on one knee on clay," shared yet another.

Other fans simply expressed their agreement with the World No. 4's assessment about Nadal still being a threat on clay.

"Medvedev is right, Rafa Nadal is the best on clay. You can never count Rafa out," one fan posted.

"Meddy tells if like it is!! 💯💯💯" another fan commented.

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Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev remain on course for a QF clash at Madrid Open 2024

2019 US Open - Day 14

Rafael Nadal will continue his 2024 Madrid Open campaign against Pedro Cachin in the third round. If the Spaniard emerges victorious, he will battle it out against Jiri Lehecka or Thiago Monteiro for a place in the quarterfinals.

Daniil Medvedev, meanwhile, faces Sebastian Korda in the third round, with the winner between Ben Shelton and Alexander Bublik looming as his fourth-round opponent.

If Nadal and Medvedev continue their winning ways at the Masters 1000 event, they will set the stage for a blockbuster quarterfinal clash. The potential match will mark their seventh tour-level encounter, with the Spaniard enjoying a dominant 5-1 lead in their head-to-head record.