‘Hard-court specialist’ Daniil Medvedev confronts clay-court season after winning Miami Open

MIAMI – Miami Masters champion Daniil Medvedev said he will try to keep his sensational start to 2023 going as the tour moves to the clay-court season, but added that he is realistic about his prospects on a surface where he has enjoyed far less success.

The Russian called himself a “hard-court specialist” at Indian Wells in March, while complaining about the slow speed of the courts and it is hard to argue with his expertise.

He won his fourth hard-court event of 2023 in Miami on Sunday with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Jannik Sinner and his lone Grand Slam title came on the US Open’s concrete courts in 2021.

“I love hard courts. If it would be my choice, it would be only hard courts,” the 27-year-old said.

“I feel the best at my game on hard courts. Even if I know that I can play well enough on the grass and clay, on hard courts I feel the most fluid. I can play not my best tennis but still win the matches. That’s a big difference.”

The vanquished Sinner even joked that perhaps the European clay could help slow down the hard-hitting Medvedev, who claimed titles in Doha, Rotterdam and Dubai and finished runner-up at Indian Wells before his triumph in Miami.

“Now clay season starts, so let’s see how you do there, but I wish you all the best,” Sinner said with a smile during the trophy ceremony.

It has not been all bad news for Medvedev on clay. He made the French Open quarter-finals in 2021, the Monte Carlo semi-finals in 2019 and has beaten some of the biggest names on the surface.

“I know that I can play well on clay. I beat Novak (Djokovic) once on clay. I actually beat (Stefanos) Tsitsipas and Novak at the same tournament once, wow. That’s pretty good achievement,” he said.

But working against him is the limited amount of time he has to prepare ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters, which begins on Sunday.

“The earlier you lose in Miami, the more clay court practice you can get,” he told Tennis Channel.

“So the first tournament is going to be tough. I’m already preparing myself mentally not to lose my mind if I play really bad in Monte Carlo.... I am going to try my best and see how it goes.”

Sinner, who also lost the Miami final in 2021, is still searching for his first Masters 1000 title. But the smooth Italian has solidified his position as the most reliable contemporary rival for an otherwise nearly unstoppable Carlos Alcaraz. He matched the world No. 2 bang for bang and beat him in their semi-final to knot their head-to-head record at 3-3.

Explaining Sinner’s relative success against Alcaraz, Medvedev said: “Jannik can hit the ball very strong, that’s where they have this kind of ping-pong tennis. That’s where he can bring him trouble.”

Sinner’s 0-6 record against Medvedev makes for less favourable reading.

“I’m getting closer and closer. Every player has a player or two they are not comfortable with,” said the 21-year-old. REUTERS, NYTIMES