DUBAI:
\nDaniil Medvedev said on Monday it was \u201ceasy\u201d getting over his Australian Open final defeat by Jannik Sinner, unlike his reaction to his loss to Rafael Nadal at the same stage two years ago.
\nMedvedev blew a two-set lead in both the 2022 and 2024 Australian Open finals, but while he is \u201cstill disappointed\u201d about the result against Nadal, he feels good about his performance against Sinner last month.
\n\u201cTo be honest, \u2018get over\u2019 was quite easy. As I said after the match, I felt like it would be easy because I played a great tournament, I played a good final,\u201d Medvedev told reporters in Dubai.
\nThe Russian world number four will be contesting his first tournament since the Australian Open this week in Dubai, where he is the defending champion.
\nMedvedev skipped his title defence in Doha last week because he was dealing with a number of physical issues \u2014 with his foot, adductor, and shoulder \u2014 but feels ready to get back on court after spending the last seven days training in Dubai.
\nMedvedev, who opens his campaign against Alexander Shevchenko on Tuesday, has added French former world number six Gilles Simon to his team, to collaborate with his long-time coach Gilles Cervara.
\n\u201cI thought about Gilles Simon for many different reasons. He knows tennis well. You can see it. He was able to beat me and make me feel not good on the court,\u201d said Medvedev, who lost three of his four meetings with Simon before the Frenchman retired.
\n\u201cTogether the two Gilles could discuss what was he doing to make me in trouble, and what can we do in practice to work on it. So far I really like it. We share a little bit the same mentality. We\u2019re easy-going.\u201d
\nThis time last year, Medvedev was in the process of putting together an impressive 19-match winning streak, which included three consecutive title triumphs in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai, and a runner-up showing in Indian Wells.
\nAn early exit at the 2023 Australian Open and a one-week dip outside the top 10 provided the fuel for that impressive run 12 months ago and he admits he feels \u201cdefinitely different\u201d arriving in Dubai this time around.
\nMedvedev says a stretch of sub-par results at the Grand Slams made him refocus ahead of Wimbledon last year, but he felt turning around his fortunes at the majors came at the expense of his results at the smaller tournaments in the last six months of 2023.
\n\u201cOther tournaments, except Grand Slams, I didn\u2019t manage to find exactly the fire which you need to win the tournaments because you\u2019re going to play the best players in the world,\u201d explained the 28-year-old.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what I want to try also to work on this year, to have this ability to be able to give my thousand percent like I did in Grand Slams, but also to be able to be fuelled enough in other tournaments. That\u2019s the first one where I start tomorrow.\u201d
\nMedvedev will be seeking a 21st ATP title in Dubai and will be looking to successfully defend a trophy for the first time in his career. He has won 20 titles at 20 different tournaments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev said on Monday it was \u201ceasy\u201d getting over his Australian Open final defeat by Jannik Sinner, unlike his reaction to his loss to Rafael Nadal at the same stage two years ago. Medvedev blew a two-set lead in both the 2022 and 2024 Australian Open finals, but while he is \u201cstill disappointed\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-390134","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n