MADRID/WASHINGTON, April 29, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
As Daniil Medvedev attempts to continue his quest to complete the set of semifinals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events – and end his title drought since winning his first ATP Tour title on clay at 2023 Rome – the World No. 10 from Russia has wasted very little time on court so far at the Mutua Madrid Open.
The 29-year-old spent just 62 minutes on Manolo Santana Stadium Sunday afternoon to earn his 6-2, 6-2 third-round victory over 126th-ranked qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina, the 23-year-old younger brother of No. 20 seed Francisco Cerundolo. It came after receiving a walkover in his second-round match against 71st-ranked Serbian Laslo Djere.
Off the court, the expressive Medvedev still has had plenty to talk about.
It just got better and better @DaniilMedwed advances to meet Nakashima in R4!@MutuaMadridOpen | #MMOpen pic.twitter.com/z1e672uBGb
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 27, 2025
Medvedev, who has been in search of his first ATP Tour title since winning the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome two years ago, spoke of overcoming a superstition in Madrid during his on-court interview with ATP Media after defeating Cerundolo.
“I felt good in practice here, but it’s not the same in a match,” he said. “Practice courts are usually a tiny bit different to the Centre Court. For sure [I was] a bit nervous because we have a small superstition as tennis players that, the worse you play before the tournament, the better you play in it, and the better you play before, the worse you play in the matches. …
“But I overcame this superstition four years ago. So, I was looking forward to implementing the game I had in practice. I’m happy with my level.”
Against Cerundolo, Medvedev saved the only break point he faced, converted four of five break-point opportunities and outpointed his opponent 55-32.
Later, during his post-match news conference, Medvedev added: “I was practicing well before the match. Match and practice are different story, so tiny bit [of] stress to try to show the game I showed in practice in the match. I managed to do it, played aggressively, played well. I’m happy with my level, and looking forward to the next matches.”
Meddy Unleashed @DaniilMedwed has waited all week to get on court ⏳#MMOpen https://t.co/oLTuxhWmEP
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 27, 2025
Medvedev was asked by a reporter how tricky it was for him to have to wait until Sunday to play his first match in the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. He responded: “Honestly, I mean, I don’t know for other players, but for me not at all. I mean, you get lucky in a little bit in a way to go into the next round. Maybe some players prefer to play the match to get in the rhythm. But, you know, Laslo is a tricky opponent, so unfortunate for him, and I would prefer to play. But when it happens, you know, you’re into the next round, you have one match less to win the tournament, so also a positive thing.
“Again, I just continue to practice. Even the day that this happened, because he retired kind of like one or two hours before the match, I went on the practice court, practiced again, and, you know, didn’t feel strange. Happy that I managed to play well today.”
: @DaniilMedwed | @atptour | #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/N2mHYwVU6n
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) April 27, 2025
Now, Medvedev (15-8 this season, 7-5 lifetime in Madrid) is through to the round of 16 for a fourth consecutive time (after not playing in Madrid in 2022). He will face No. 31 seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States Tuesday evening on Arantxa Sanchez Stadium. His match is part of a busy day for tournament organizers, who will attempt to get back on schedule with a total of 11 ATP singles matches, after most of Monday’s play was cancelled due to a major power outage that struck Caja Mágica in Madrid in the early afternoon and spread throughout much of Spain and Portugal.
The subject of Medvedev’s next opponent, Nakashima, was raised during his post-match news conference Sunday – and, of course, Medvedev had an answer ready. He said of Nakashima, whom he beat in straight sets at Indian Wells two years ago: “Yeah, it was long ago, and Indian Wells is kind of two times slower than here, so a bit different. But he improved very well, I think especially kind of starting last year I would say second part of the season playing well, a lot of great wins.
“I think he has a very good serve from what I’m seeing. Kind of didn’t practice with him, didn’t play with him since long time, so going to be interesting. I just hope that I can show exactly what I showed today, and then it’s going to be tough to beat me.”
Tuesday’s Mutua Madrid Open order of play
By the numbers
On tour-level, Daniil Medvedev improved to 12-2 against Argentine opponents, after defeating Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 6-2.
”Quotable …”
“I mean, I saw, for example, how Carlos’s one was done, you know, and, damn, it’s cameras all over you, all over the day. That’s not me. That’s just, I mean, I get, like when I’m on court I try to sign a lot of autographs. When I’m, let’s say, even if you’re in the official hotels or you’re out on a holiday, a lot of people camp outside the hotels. And it’s fine, I sign, I take pictures.
“But like when I’m having dinner, when I’m with my family I don’t. I sometimes can be, it’s not rude, but people are like, Oh, let’s take a photo, when I’m eating dinner. And I’m like, ‘Nope.’ After dinner’s it’s okay. So I’m pretty, I can be pretty rude with my personal space.
“If I give it to the documentary I’m going to get nuts, like because, especially when you give your permission to them, they want more. They want to film your daughters, they want to film your wife, they want to ask them questions, they want to ask you more about your personal life.
“I remember I saw an interview of [American rap singer] Jack Harlow, and he said that people around you, not your friends, like fans and everyone, they want to know everything about you. They want to know who you date, who, how, what you have for dinner, if you take your shower for 5 or 15 minutes. But you need to keep something for yourself, otherwise they take all your life away.
“So that’s probably why I will never do a documentary, but let’s see, I never say never.”
– World No. 10 Daniil Medvedev of Russia, during his post-match news conference Sunday, asked about the new Carlos Alcaraz Netflix documentary and if he could see himself being the subject of a documentary.
