Role model Sharapova: Will Daniil Medvedev get the cow off the ice in Monte Carlo?
Daniil Medvedev and the sand, it's a difficult relationship. Maria Sharapova could be an inspiration for him on how to turn things around.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit:
Apr 08, 2023, 01:40 pm
"There's nothing I like about this surface. The ball bounces differently, you get very dirty after games. I really don't enjoy playing like that." Quote Daniil Medvedev two years ago before the start of the tournament in Monte Carlo.
A few weeks later in Madrid, "Meddy" brought his anger to the hated pitch, argued after a request from the referee not to abuse the pitch with the bat because it would break, saying that it was "already broken": "It's a bad surface. I can't damage a bad surface."
Let's put it this way: The relationship between Medvedev, the hard court king, and the red ash - it has potential.
A few thoughts from the fourth in the world rankings a few weeks ago are interesting in this context. When asked about Maria Sharapova, who once described herself as a "cow on ice" on sand, he explained : "It's exactly the same with me." But yes, maybe Sharapova could inspire him. "I totally forgot about that." Sharapova finally got the hang of ash and won the French Open twice.
Medvedev coach: "If Daniil could move on clay..."
Medvedev also recalled his performance in Doha that year, which featured very slow hard courts. His wife told him that coach Gilles Cervara watched him run everything, play lobs, bring back smashes. He said: "Damn, if Daniil could move on sand, he would probably be invincible."
And that's probably true, according to Medvedev. "I've never been able to move well on clay. I don't slide before the shot, I slide after it. Maybe because I'm scared." A problem he shares with many players who did not grow up on clay when they were young, so who "slip" after the shot and lose valuable time, in contrast to those who slip into the shot, stopping as soon as they hit and be able to orient yourself directly towards the center of the square.
He just needs a good day - or at best two good weeks - to be successful on clay, while on hard he can have a bad day and still win.
After all, things haven't been that bad so far: a semi-final in Monte Carlo, a final in Barcelona and last year's round of 16 in Paris are on Medvedev's sand "success" list.
Maybe in 2023 he'll go one step further?