MELBOURNE, Jan 18, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – World number five Daniil Medvedev
Saturday said he wouldn’t be relying on a “lucky shower” to bring him good
fortune as he bids to upset tennis’s established order at the Australian
Open.
The Russian, who won four titles last year and was runner-up at the US
Open, is John McEnroe’s tip as the man most likely to break the Big Three’s
stranglehold on the Major titles.
Medvedev has started the year strongly at the ATP Cup and said he was
reinvigorated after feeling “burned out” towards the end of last season, when
he took Rafael Nadal to five sets at Flushing Meadows.
“I felt that I needed some rest, (to) restart. Again, I had great five
matches in ATP Cup, won four of them. Feeling great about my game and
myself,” he said.
According to McEnroe, Medvedev has the style and “cojones” to interrupt the
march of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Nadal, who have won all but two of
the Australian Open titles since 2004.
The 23-year-old said it was an “honour” to be singled out by the American
great, who collected seven Grand Slam singles titles.
“Every time somebody says something like this, especially John, who was an
amazing tennis player, a legend, it makes you kind of happy,” Medvedev told
reporters in Melbourne.
“It means that what you’ve achieved last year gets noticed. Yeah, when
tennis experts or legends like John say it, it’s an honour for me. But it’s
not as easy to do it as to say.”
Tennis is renowned for its quirks and superstitions but Medvedev said he
didn’t follow Nadal’s example of having a strict routine before and during
his matches.
“Everybody talks about lucky showers or something. If I have to use the
same shower (I used) when I didn’t win, I’m not going to be in my mind like,
‘Okay, that’s it, I lost the tournament. I cannot play tennis any more,'” he
said.
“If the shower is open, I’m going to go to the same one probably.”
Medvedev, who lost to eventual champion Djokovic in the round of 16 last
year, has a tough start in the shape of America’s Frances Tiafoe, a quarter-
finalist in 2019.
He said he could take heart from his battling performance in the US Open
final, when he fought back from two sets down to push Nadal all the way.
“I fought (from) being two sets down and a break down. Still almost managed
to win the match. This I have to remember, no matter who I play,” he said.