ATP HalleWestfalen: Daniil Medvedev misses Alexander Zverev
Sometimes Daniil Medvedev also likes it quiet. Especially after many hectic days in the big tennis metropolises, like now after the Grand Slam meeting in Paris, under the Eiffel Tower.
by p.m
last edit:
Jun 13, 2022, 05:55 pm
“Halle, with its calm atmosphere and short distances, really suits me. That's where I usually find my best tennis," said the 26-year-old, who rose to first place in the world rankings this Monday for the second time in his impressive career.
At the traditional 500 in HalleWestfalen, ATP frontman Medvedev naturally wants to do much better than last year, when he surprisingly failed in the opening round due to the strong local hero Jan-Lennard Struff. “I made it my goal to play for the title. That's normal when you start as a top seeded man," said Medvedev, who was welcomed on Monday afternoon by tournament director Ralf Weber on behalf of the 29th TERRA WORTMANN OPEN - also with a cake, which of course adorned the special number: ONE. "We are happy to have the number one in the world with us," said Weber, "he is definitely one of the clear favorites for the title."
Asked at the press conference in the OWL ARENA how he assessed the second jump on the tennis summit, Medvedev said: "If you have the most points in the ranking over the last 52 weeks, then you deserve to be up there. This is fair. The numbers don't lie.” Medvedev had already been number one once during the season, from late February to the beginning of the fourth week of March. Incidentally, in today's world rankings, in which Alexander Zverev also reached a new all-time high as number two, for the first time since November 2003 none of the big three - i.e. Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - were in the top two places.
Medvedev starts against Goffin
Medvedev wants to take a good amount of training time before the start of his first round game against Belgian David Goffin in order to be prepared for the equally difficult test. “I now feel much more comfortable on grass than I have in recent years. But my favorite surface is still the hard court,” said Medvedev. On Sunday, Medvedev surprisingly lost the final in s'Hertogenbosch against outsider Tim Van Rihjthoven, the new number 106 in the ATP world rankings. “Surprises like this are always possible on grass. The way he played against me and in the tournament in general, he has the potential to be in the top 30 soon.”
At the media conference, Medvedev regretted the injury-related absence of Germany's top man Alexander Zverev: "It is of course very unfortunate for the tournament if the best player in your own country cannot compete," said Medvedev. "But I am sure that Sascha will come back strong - also here in Halle." The competition at the 29th edition of Germany's most important men's tennis competition will be enormous in the next few days, said Medvedev. “Four top ten players and many more top notch people. It will be a very tough fight for the trophy.”