Daniil Medvedev continues to rant about balls used at the Shanghai Masters as the Russian says that they benefit Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz before also throwing out a theory that the matches on the ATP Tour have gotten longer over the last couple of years because of the balls.
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Over the years, fans have gotten well accustomed to the 2021 US Open champion's antics and he always succeeds in entertaining fans. Exactly that happened during his opening match in Shanghai, when he called the supervisor just a couple of games into his match to complain about the balls.
"These balls are not good enough for professional tennis. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world and the balls are destroyed after 5 games. No pressure at all," the world No. 5 was heard telling the supervisor.
While Medvedev struggled, he managed to beat Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-5 7-5 and reach the third round, where he came back from a set down to defeat Matteo Arnaldi 5-7 6-4 6-4 and avoid a shock exit.
Following another hard-fought win, the 28-year-old was asked whether he was changing something in his game to address the conditions at the tournament. Answering the question, the Russian pretty much said that there wasn't anything he could do except try his best because it either benefits someone or doesn't.
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I dont think anyone is changing. I think it basically favors people who can benefit power from dead balls. Some have better quality with this. Some dont. Actually the two best players at doing this.. theyre already the best players in the world.. and Im sure they would be without the balls, but with these balls.. theyre the only players who can generate crazy power," Medvedev explained.
"Its Jannik and Carlos. It gives them an extra edge. But I try to fight with what I can. We practice a lot. I try to get this power, which Ive never had since I was young. Because of the way my body type is. There were even tests on the muscle that measure power, explosiveness, and I dont really have the explosiveness. I can generate a lot of power like going through the ball, but not when the ball is stopped. I try to do what I can. I still play not bad. Im fighting and I wanna go all the way.
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Medvedev claims: The matches have become longer...
After needing nearly two hours of play to beat Seyboth Wild, the former world No. 1 also spent two hours and 45 minutes on the court against Arnaldi. When asked if he finds it more satisfying to win a longer match than a short one, the Russian underlined that it absolutely wasn't the case.
Then, Medvedev made a pretty stunning theory and blamed balls for what he thinks is causing matches on the Tour to be longer.
"Oh, I love quick matches, 6-2, 6-2, 50 minutes is the best match possible, honestly. But, again, I'm sorry to tell this again, but I wonder if I'm right, I do think that last two, three years the matches are in general longer on the ATP Tour, because the balls don't go that fast, more longer rallies, more longer games, because you cannot serve aces, and I wonder if I'm right or if I'm telling some nonsense," the six-time Grand Slam finalist said in his presser.
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Medvedev hopes he can finally win his first title of the year
Despite evidently not feeling the happiest with the conditions in Shanghai, that doesn't mean that the former world No. 1 is giving up. Instead, he is hoping he can make a run for the title and avoid finishing the season without any trophies won. Since becoming an ATP champion in 2018, the 28-year-old has won at least one title every season since.
By now, you probably know very well one of the funniest stat lines about Medvedev - he has 20 titles but has never won the same tournament twice. But if he wins Shanghai - where he won it all in 2019 - that will finally come to an end.
"I definitely want to win the same tournament. I mean, I'm 28, I'm not anymore 22. This year without the title so far, so I definitely want to win a title somewhere in a city where I won before, a tournament I won before," he said.
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In the Shanghai round-of-16, Medvedev plays against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexandre Muller.
