"With Rafa out, usually you can get a little bit tougher draw" - Daniil Medvedev laments his seeding after Nadal's exit from the Australian Open 2023
Daniil Medvedev is still cautious about his section of the draw despite the top seed and his potential quarterfinal opponent Rafael Nadal getting knocked out in the second round on Wednesday.
The two were slated to meet in the last eight but that will not happen after Mackenzie McDonald beat an injured Nadal in straight sets. Medvedev, on his part, booked his place in the third round after beating John Millman 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in his second-round fixture.
The Russian has usually figured amongst the top three seeds at most of the previous Slams but a recent drop in the rankings means that he entered this year's Australian Open seeded seventh.
Speaking to the media after beating Millman, the 26-year-old expressed confidence in his ability to do well in Slams. But at the same time, he lamented his relatively inferior seeding.
"I think, you know, I know this experience. I know what I have to do and how I have to play to try to win these tournaments. I know that I'm capable of it. That's only positive thing. The negative part is that I dropped in the rankings a little bit, so usually you can get a little bit tougher draw," Daniil Medvedev said.
Medvedev did not seem upbeat about Nadal's exit from the tournament, highlighting how he is unlikely to get easy draws until he improves his ranking.
"I mean, in a way with Rafa out, usually you can get a little bit tougher draw. But, again, to gain back this ranking, I need to play better, I need to win stronger tournaments, to get further in those tournaments," he added.
That said, the former US Open champion stated that he feels "really confident" to have a "better season" this year.
"And, again, I'm feeling really confident, really motivated to try to do a better season this year. It all starts here like every year. So looking forward again to my next matches," he continued.
"It's normal when we have Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic that all the attention comes to them" - Daniil Medvedev
![Rafael Nadal [L] and Novak Djokovic at the Laver Cup 2022](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6d280-16740535467944-1920.jpg?w=500)
During his press conference, Daniil Medvedev was asked if he felt he had gone under the radar in light of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic hogging all the media attention.
The Russian responded by stressing that it is normal for both the Spaniard and the Serb to receive such high amounts of attention, especially for the latter given how he was deported ahead of last year's Australian Open.
"I don't know, but it's normal when we have Rafa and Novak that all the attention comes to them. That's completely normal, especially with what happened with Novak last year. Everyone is looking at him, how will he do this year?" Medvedev said.
"I don't know exactly the number, but he won, whatever, 40 matches in Australia in a row. He gets all the attention. That's normal. He won here, what, eight times probably," he added.