Daniil Medvedev Reacts on Rafael Nadal Ahead of Australian Open 2022 Men’s Singles Final

Australian Open 2022 Men's Singles Final: Looking to play down the pressure, Medvedev said he knows what Nadal is looking for.

Melbourne: World No 21 Daniil Medvedev on Sunday has the chance to stop Rafel Nadal from winning his record 21st grand slam. It will not be an easy task for the 25-year-old but the pressure will not be on him. Ahead of the mouthwatering clash, a relaxed Medvedev said that it is not him who is chasing No 21 and he would be focussed on his game.

“It’s not me going for the 21st, not me trying to break these records. I’m going for my second one. I’m still far from all these things. I can maybe compete with other guys who have won, but I won’t even name them all, I don’t know who has maybe two or one. So I’m just, you know, trying to focus on myself, doing my job,” Medvedev said on tennisworldusa.org. 

Looking to play down the pressure, Medvedev said he knows what Nadal is looking for.

“Of course, you know, I’m not lying, I know what’s happening, I know what Rafa is going for, I knew what Novak was going for. I’m not gonna say, Oh, yeah, I am trying not to listen about this. But it’s kind of their thing, not mine.

Medvedev also regretted calling the chair umpire a ‘small cat’ during his semi-final game against Stefanos Tsitsipas when a point went against him. He admitted that he knows that the chair umpire was trying to do his best.

“I regret it all the time, because I don’t think it’s nice. I know that he’s — I know that every referee is trying to do their best. But, yeah, when you are there, tennis, we don’t fight with the fists, but tennis is a fight,” he added.