‘I’ll just be disappointed’ – Daniil Medvedev happy with nothing less than the US Open title

Daniil Medvedev is firmly set on successfully defending his US Open title, a feat which would see him become the first man to do so in over a decade. 

The world number one defeated American world number 111 Stefan Kozlov 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to breeze into the second round in New York and get his campaign for a second Slam title rolling.

The last man to defend a US Open title was Roger Federer back in 2008, when he claimed the last of his five consecutive titles in Flushing Meadows.

“I definitely don’t want to forget about [the memories of winning last year],” Medvedev said when asked of his mindset as defending champion. “I mean, there’s a little bit extra pressure but mostly, I mean, I don’t feel it, to be honest.

“For sure I want to play good. Probably the only pressure is that I know if I’m not going to play good here for whatever reason, that people might say ‘defending champion lost’ whatever.

“I’m not really sensitive to this. I know what I have to do. I know that I want to play well and if I don’t do it, I will not care that I won it last year, I will just be disappointed that this year didn’t work out my way.

“I remember last year were some crazy matches. I mean, to be honest, all of them were really high level from me. That’s what I want to continue doing this year. Always loved playing at the US Open.”

The Russian faces Arthur Rinderknech next for a place in the third round and a ninth consecutive win at the American Major.

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