"I'm just going to wait and see what happens when other players get asked this question" - Daniil Medvedev raises questions about balls used by ATP
Shortly after winning the 2023 ATP Qatar Open on Saturday (February 25), Daniil Medvedev raised an issue about the balls being used.
Playing in his second final in as many weeks, the third seed beat Andy Murray in straight sets to win his second title of the year and 17th overall.
Making a quick start in both sets, Medvedev withstood a rally from the Scot to break decisively and see out the victory in 13 minutes shy of two hours.
What a week for @DaniilMedwed 🏆 👏
@QatarTennis | #Qemo2023 https://t.co/2kJo1fliZT
The World No. 11 has now won his last nine matches, winning the Rotterdam ATP 500 title last week.
At his post-match press conference, the 2021 US Open winner complained about the balls being used but wanted to know the opinions of other players:
"I talked a little bit to the supervisor, but the thing is that I wonder what other players think. You're not going to be in the locker, you know, coming to every other player asking about the balls."
Medvedev continued:
"So maybe if people going to start asking them, maybe finally I'm going to be the only one arguing about the balls, and then I'm just, that's my problem. If there is going to be 15 players that come out and say, Yeah, I feel the same, then it's a problem of the balls. I'm just going to wait and see what happens when other players get asked this question."
Following his win in Doha, Medvedev improved to 14-2 on the season and will move up a place to No. 7 next week.
"I feel great right now" - Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev has made a decent start to the year, reaching the Adelaide 1 semifinals and third round at the Australian Open last month.
However, he has stepped up a notch in the last two weeks, romping to the Rotterdam title on the indoor hardcourt and winning the Doha title on the outdoor hardcourt six days later.
The moment @DaniilMedwed claimed the title in Doha! 💫
@QatarTennis | #Qemo2023 https://t.co/iAlT4ABLyQ
About his recent imperious form, Medvedev said that he yearns to win the bigger titles and that confidence plays a huge role:
"To be honest, every time you get a title, you feel great and you feel like this winning feeling is back, you are back, you can get even bigger titles, even bigger wins. But that's all about confidence, and confidence, as it can go really fast, it can go away really fast with one loss."
He continued:
"I feel great right now at the moment. I have a tournament to play next week, so it's a new week, a new challenge, and then we go to USA to the other part of the world, jet lag, everything. Right now I'm feeling great, and I want to try to continue feeling this way."
There's no time to dwell on his Doha success as Daniil Medvedev heads to Dubai next week, where he opens his campaign against a qualifier.