World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev shared his reaction to Casper Ruud`s recent victory at the Madrid Masters. The Russian player had lost to the Norwegian in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
– Daniil, as is typical, Rome follows Madrid. Let`s first look back. In Madrid, you were defeated by Casper, who went on to win the tournament. Does knowing he won make that loss any easier to process?
Honestly, it doesn`t really matter that much. When I was younger, it felt nice. For example, if you lost in the second round and your opponent then reached the final and won, you`d feel a bit happy, thinking: `Okay, I really did lose to a very strong opponent.` But here in Rome, we played in the quarterfinals, so it doesn`t make a big difference whether it was Casper, Jack [Draper], or Lorenzo [Musetti]. They all play exceptionally well on clay.
However, I am pleased with how I performed against Casper. In the second set, I was close to forcing a tie-break, but I couldn`t quite manage it; he played very well. And he also played excellently in the semi-finals and final. So, he truly proved he has what it takes; it`s his first Masters title. I`m genuinely happy for him. I gave it my absolute best in Madrid and will aim to play better here in Rome.
– In your match against Casper, you played very aggressive tennis. Is that a tactical approach you plan to stick with, or was it specifically tailored for the conditions in Madrid?
That was purely a Madrid-specific approach. The way I envision playing on clay… I don`t see myself getting into extended rallies with Casper, I don`t imagine hitting 20 shots in a single point, because he moves forward aggressively and tries to dictate the rally right away. So, the plan was for *me* to be the one dictating the play, and I did manage that. But the reality is, he still defends incredibly well, executes effective passing shots, and simply plays a high-quality game.
Therefore, that style was specific to both the unique conditions in Madrid and the challenge of playing Casper. We`ll see how things go in Rome, depending on who I face. The conditions here are slower, so it`s not guaranteed I`ll be able to play that same aggressive style effectively. We`ll see.
– Rome holds a special place in your career, for clear reasons. Is winning the title here also somewhat amusing to you because of how unexpected it was for everyone at the time?
Yes, actually, it was unexpected for many reasons. It was unexpected because, well, I genuinely used to hate clay. And after winning here, I definitely like clay much more now. I`m much less annoyed by it, let`s say, or less inclined to say negative things about it. I have a much calmer attitude towards it. But what`s even more surprising is that it`s been my most recent title. So, it really is the most special place for me over the past two years. I`ll certainly try to repeat that win this year.
– What do you find most challenging about Rome?
The most difficult thing… the roads. The roads here are really tough, and when I visit a city, I like to imagine driving my own car around it. In Rome, I simply can`t picture doing that because… if you own a sports car, Rome is absolutely not the place; you`d destroy it immediately. There are pedestrians everywhere, and the roads are incredibly rough. That`s probably the most challenging aspect, along with the aggressive driving here.
And the best thing about Rome? Honestly, there are many good things. If I had to choose just one thing, it would probably be the food. The food is truly delicious. But there are also the historical attractions, the city center itself, and the people are pleasant. Still, if I had to pick just one – probably the food.
– Then tell us, what`s your favorite dish?
I don`t have just *one* favorite dish; I really like desserts, and I like pasta too. Let`s put it this way: for dessert, any kind is fine, they`re all delicious. As for a main dish, let`s say Veal Scallopini in lemon sauce.
Rupert Hartwell 
Adrian Whitmore