Daniil Medvedev after reaching US Open SF: "I don't care if Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal is here, I want to win the tournament"
Daniil Medvedev defeated Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the US Open for the third consecutive year. And during his post-match press conference, Medvedev asserted that he always tries to give his best, irrespective of who is present in the draw.
Frances Tiafoe had claimed earlier in the week that the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal from this year's US Open had given the rest of the players added motivation. But when the subject was brought up during the presser on Tuesday, Daniil Medvedev claimed that that wasn't true for him personally.
According to the Russian, the fact that Federer and Nadal were always in the semis when they were younger helped him improve his own level and carve out a niche for himself.
"I don't feel it," the Russian said. "I think for me it's actually more about that when they were a bit younger or even few years ago, we always saw them in semis. They were in the top four so they couldn't meet each other before semis, and almost all the Grand Slams they were in semis. So they were taking all the spots, just because they are the greatest in the history of tennis. They are amazing tennis players."
I'm really happy that I managed to make it to three straight semifinals US Open where, well, can we say also that I took this one spot all the time? It's a question of level, of tennis abilities and everything," he added.
Daniil Medvedev further went on to say that for him, the tournament is about his level of tennis and not about which player is present or absent from the draw.
"I don't care if Roger or Rafa is here," the 25-year-old said. "I want to win the tournament. It's going to be tougher if they were here, and of course it would be tougher if they would be 30 years old. But I just want to do my best, so I don't care if they are here or not."
The Russian did admit, however, that breaking into the top 10 and top 5 of the rankings has been easier with the advancing age of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
"Yeah, of course now Rafa and Roger, as we see, are getting a little bit older, playing a little bit less tournaments, more injured," Daniil Medvedev said. "Before it was even tougher, because, yeah, it depends which breakthrough you're talking about. To be in the top 100 or top 10 or top 5. So before the top 5 was basically taken by three of them. So there were two spots left."
"So, yeah, that's the biggest difference I feel like, of course," he added. "And it's normal to talk about, and now it's a bit easier than it was before to be No. 2, 3, or 4 in the world."
I don't think about Novak Djokovic because as we saw, anybody can beat anybody: Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev will now take on Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals, and is likely to face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the final as per the draw. But the second seed claimed he is not thinking about facing the Serb yet, as "anyone can beat anyone" in the draw.
"I don't think about him (Novak Djokovic), because as we saw, anybody can beat anybody," Daniil Medvedev said. "If he's in the final, and if I'm there, I'm happy. He's also happy, I guess."
Medvedev added that he follows Djokovic's matches not because he is preparing to play him, but because he enjoys watching tennis.
"So because he plays on the days where I don't play, I watch his matches just because I enjoy watching tennis," the Russian said. "Yeah, that's it. You know, same today, for example. I'm not going to root or cheer for somebody. I'm just gonna enjoy the tennis and then prepare for the winner. It's same every match."
Daniil Medvedev also spoke about how his experience of playing on the big stage has helped him prepare for the semifinals and finals of Grand Slams. But even though his semifinal opponent Auger-Aliassime will be playing at this stage of a Major for the first time, the 25-year-old is expecting a tough fight.
"I always said that experience helps me," Medvedev said. "So you never know, because you're gonna play tough opponents, semis or final. Who knows? Maybe Novak. But first of course Felix or Carlos. Whoever wins gonna be on huge fire. You know they are much younger than even me, even. I'm not old."
"But for them it's going to be a first semis of a Slam," he added. "You know, experience is not everything, because, for example, when I was in my first semis of a Slam, I won it. Doesn't mean if you're there for the first time you're gonna lose it."