Daniil Medvedev form ‘like a meteorite’ right now, claims coach
Daniil Medvedev is in such good form his coach Gilles Cervara is comparing him to ‘a meteorite’ ahead of the Sunshine Double.
Medvedev had a tough 2022 and he started this season struggling too with an uncharacteristic early exit at the Australian Open.
At that time, Medvedev’s form looked to be in pieces, but he has responded by winning three tournaments in a row at Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai.
He heads to Indian Wells and Miami full of confidence and with all the momentum, and Cervara is not sure he is even stoppable right now.
“When he comes back from Australia, the two weeks of training are very complicated because he has no confidence,” Cervara said.
“He’s not winning, he doesn’t feel good, he doesn’t feel anything and you have to deal with that. That’s the beauty of the job, especially when it works at the back, but for a fortnight you have to navigate in a very uncertain space.”
“Once it’s in, once it’s on, everything that happens behind it, all the victories, it’s him, it’s just him. That’s where it starts and then it goes up in flames.
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Daniil Medvedev pulls off a magnificent 6-4, 6-4 victory to end Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten run and reach the final in Dubai! @DaniilMedwed | #ATPDubai pic.twitter.com/GP6crL7LrA
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) March 3, 2023
“Right now it’s a meteorite, it’s catching fire and it’s continuing its trajectory by being ignited. The question becomes: how long will it last? We have to make sure it lasts as long as possible and that it can continue there, in the Masters 1000. If the French Open is now, we win the French Open!
“It gives a lot of hope and expectation. That he’s going there to win and that there’s a hopefulness that’s emerging from the context, yes, absolutely.”
Daniil Medvedev Indian Wells and Miami record
For all Medvedev’s fine form, he will have to improve dramatically on his record at Indian Wells and Miami if he is to continue his winning streak.
The Russian has never been further than the last 16 at Indian Wells, even though it is on his favourite surface.
Miami has not been much better to him, although he does at least have a pair of quarterfinals to his name there.
Medvedev French Open record
It is an even bolder claim by Cervara that Medvedev would ‘win the French Open’ if it was being played now.
Medvedev notoriously dislikes clay and that is shown in his record at Roland Garros. He lost in the first round in each of his first four attempts, although he has improved slightly since by reaching a round of 16 and a quarterfinal.
“Honestly, there’s nothing I like on clay,” Medvedev said in 2021. “There’s always bad bounces, you’re dirty after playing. I really don’t enjoy playing on clay.”
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