World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev commented on the inscription “AO 24” he left on the camera after his victory over Alexander Muller in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters, a match he won 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-2.
When asked about the meaning of “AO 24”, Medvedev explained it as a humorous prediction that all his matches in the current tournament will be as lengthy as his matches at the Australian Open. He joked that since five-hour matches and five sets aren`t possible here, he anticipates all his matches to last around three hours.
Looking ahead to his next match against De Minaur, Medvedev was asked about their previous грунте (clay court) encounter where he lost and what he needs to change. He was also asked if this upcoming match could be seen as a new opportunity to defeat a Top player.
Medvedev pointed out that both Khachanov and Muller are also strong clay court players. Regarding De Minaur, he suggested that De Minaur himself might not prefer playing on clay, offering a different perspective on the challenge.
Medvedev acknowledged their tough match at Roland Garros, where he felt he played well but still lost. He recognized De Minaur`s strong clay court skills, similar to his own, and anticipates a difficult match, stating he will strive to perform better.
Adrian Whitmore