Medvedev insists: "This is the slowest track on the circuit, no matter what they say"

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The people who attended this Sunday at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells eager to see Daniil Medvedev were left wanting after watching his opponent, Alex Michelsen, retire when the clock barely reached ten minutes of play. Tough luck for everyone... except for the Russian, who advanced to the round of 16 without exertion. His post-match interview with the Tennis Channel colleagues lasted almost as long, and they took the opportunity to inquire once more about the court speed and his relationship with this tournament. Honestly, we can affirm that none of his answers surprised us.

Michelsen's Retirement

"I had a bit of luck; I regret it a lot for Alex and what happened to him before the match. It was going to be our first encounter. I know he is a great player, capable of doing very well, so he would have surely had his chances. After the match, where we barely played a couple of games, he told me he wasn't feeling well, so I decided to go train a bit because tomorrow I have a rest day and no match scheduled. I just did some physical exercises and focused on the next commitment."

Regarding the Court Surface

"I don't notice any difference, but if I had to say something, I would say it's even slower than before. It's hard to say this because we know it's already the slowest on the circuit, but every year we return, we forget how slow it was last time. It's slow beyond what the speed index or any parameter says. It's slow no matter what people say; you can see in the matches how players strive to make a winning shot. It's very slow, but I feel I can play well here."

No Intention to Change Anything with His Racket

"I've been using the same racket since I was 21, with which I've had tremendous success; I love it. Personally, I've never thought of making a change, at least not until now; one never knows what the future may hold. Regarding the strings, it's somewhat the same; I've been using the same string since 2021, but I don't think I need any change in that sense. I did it at the time thinking that if I didn't, my ranking would drop. I don't obsess much about these matters; I simply see what works and what doesn't. This season, I feel everything is in place, but we'll see in the future."

His 'Gaming' Career

"I've had some experiences in recent years, but I wasn't good enough, and now I'm a bit older. I still play when I have time, and I admit I became good; I climbed in the rankings, beat most of my rivals. I really enjoyed that game. In fact, here I played a bit again and had fun, so we'll see if in the future I have the chance to compete again in a higher competition on Twitch or wherever. I'd like people to see it and see that I'm good."

Meeting Tommy Paul in the Round of 16

"I expect a great match, of course. I think we faced each other twice last season, and I remember in Rome he beat me quite convincingly; he was far superior. In Indian Wells, we met in the semifinals, and it was crazy; somehow our playing styles connected perfectly, making it very challenging for each other. I expect a similar setup again, a very tough match, so I hope to give my best."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev insiste: “Esta es la pista más lenta del circuito, digan lo que digan”