‘If I can find my level again, I can be dangerous,’ says Daniil Medvedev as he bows out in Geneva
World number two Daniil Medvedev was beaten in his first match on his return from injury as he lost in straight sets to ATP veteran Richard Gasquet at the Geneva Open.
The Russian number one was playing in his first clay court match of the season, after he underwent a hernia operation following the Miami Open back in March.
Medvedev, who was making his debut at the tournament in Switzerland, seemed to struggle to adapt to the red dirt as he was broken twice in the opening set losing 6-2.
The second set was a tighter affair, as the 13-time tour winner rallied from 1-3 to force a tie-break.
However Medvedev’s serve was to be his downfall, as he gifted the Frenchman the match after double faulting on match point in the tie-break – his seventh of the match.
As a result the former world number seven Gasquet won 6-2, 7-6(5) to move into the Geneva Open quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old following the match discussed his performance as he admitted he found it difficult adapting to the clay courts.
Daniil Medvedev told reporters, “I don’t play my best tennis on clay courts. I know that I’m capable of making some good results, as I did in the past. But for this I kind of need to be in the zone.
“I don’t feel as confident on clay as on other surfaces, that’s why I lost 7/5 in the tie-break finishing with a double fault. It’s disappointing but I’ve had tougher losses in my career.
The US Open champion continued as he revealed that, despite never being “100 percent” on clay, he remains confident ahead of the French Open next week.
“Clay for my body is the most dangerous surface. For me it’s clay courts — every time, every year I have some problems where I cannot be 100 percent.”
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