"I laid down for five hours, just relaxed" - Daniil Medvedev on playing past midnight after lengthy rain delay at Miami Open 2023
Daniil Medvedev shed light on the challenges of waiting through a lengthy rain delay and then playing late into the night as he beat Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-2 to move into the quarterfinals of the 2023 Miami Open. Medvedev said that all he could do was 'lay down for five hours' as he waited to get on the court and was not even sure whether he would get to play on the night.
The schedule of play was interrupted by a rain-marred day at the Miami Open, and Medvedev's contest with Frenchman Halys was the last match of the day on the Grandstand court. The match was preceded by a lengthy contest between Adrian Mannarino and Christopher Eubanks, which Eubanks won in two tiebreaks.
Coming through a tricky situation without much fuss, former world No. 1 Medvedev explained how he prepared for the match through the rain delay and also having to wait for another match to finish.
"I actually thought it was going to be canceled. I was just laying down, nothing else to do. Basically, I laid down for five hours, just relaxed," Daniil Medvedev said in his on-court interview after the win.
The World No. 5 said that it was even more challenging for him to start a match at a time which is usually past his bedtime.
"I'm really happy that I managed to play not so badly because it's not easy...When you play at midnight, I mean I usually sleep at midnight, so try to play some tennis there," Medvedev added.
Medvedev is two wins away from reaching the final in five consecutive tournaments on tour. Earlier, he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Indian Wells after winning back-to-back titles in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai.
Daniil Medvedev faces Christopher Eubanks next on road to Miami Open 2023 title
Daniil Medvedev will next face first-time Masters 1000 quarterfinalist Christopher Eubanks on Thursday as he continues his bid for a maiden Miami Open title. Eubanks reached the last-eight after starting the tournament in the qualifying draw. Medvedev could then face countryman Karen Khachanov - who faces another surprise quarterfinalist in Francisco Cerundolo in the last-eight - in the semifinals.
An Indian Wells final rematch between Medvedev and world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is also on the cards.
Medvedev will surpass Casper Ruud and move up to No. 4 in the ATP rankings if he wins the Miami Open on Sunday. He will then fancy his chances of moving further up the rankings in the claycourt season, during which he defends very few points this year.