Casper Ruud backs Daniil Medvedev to have success on clay ahead of French Open - 'A player that doesn't go away'
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ByEurosport
Updated 08/04/2023 at 08:00 GMT
Daniil Medvedev has previously confessed that he is a "hard-court specialist" and has expressed he does not like playing on clay. He enters the clay-court swing after winning four titles on hard courts. However, he has never won a title on clay. World No. 5 Casper Ruud - speaking on the Eurosport podcast, Ruud Talk - said he believes Medvedev is capable of winning titles on the surface.
Medvedev 'really happy' about Wimbledon return after triumph at Miami Open
Casper Ruud - speaking on the latest episode of the Eurosport podcast, Ruud Talk - has said he believes world No. 4 Daniil Medvedev can overcome his difficulties on clay ahead of the clay-court swing and the French Open.
Medvedev has historically struggled on clay and has only reached one final on the red dirt in 2019, finishing runner-up at the Barcelona Open.
He reached the semi-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters in the same year, knocking out Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas along the way.
Ruud thinks the Russian could spring a surprise or two this year on the surface after enjoying fine form on the ATP tour in 2023, including lifting a maiden Miami Open title last weekend.
"It's great to see that he stepped up and I thought the speech was funny from [Jannik] Sinner that congratulated him for this last four or five tournaments," the Norwegian said on the latest episode of Ruud Talk, which aired on Friday.
"But now it's clay so let's see how you handle that because he's maybe not as [big a] fan of clay as maybe I am.
"He's a player that sort of doesn't go away. And you have to play those winners or hit those great shots or come to the net or whatever and finish the points because he's going to be there and make you play a lot of balls.
"I think it's maybe safe to say that the movement has been maybe his biggest issue on clay in the past.
"But I've read interviews where he says that he wants to develop a good movement on clay, and let's see if it's this year. But he has obviously had good results on clay in the past.
"I remember when I was a little bit younger, I saw him make the semi-finals in Monte Carlo and the final in Barcelona. So obviously he has the potential to play well anywhere."
Eurosport tennis expert Alex Corretja agrees that Medvedev can still be a tough proposition on clay even if he has not enjoyed great success on the surface in recent years.
"I don't see any reason why he cannot play well on clay," the Spaniard added on Ruud Talk
"Besides maybe I'm wrong Casper, but maybe because he doesn't move his wrist as fast on clay as maybe he needs to generate some acceleration or some power. But it can be tough to beat him still. That's how I feel about watching him on clay."
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