Medvedev believes he has the key to pour water on Alcaraz fire

Daniil Medvedev has touched down in Beijing, yearning to go one better than he did in 2023 and lift the trophy, but has acknowledged the difficulty of the task that lies ahead at the China Open.

After coming unstuck by Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, Medvedev will have his work cut out with the defending champion and World No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz back to headline the stacked field in the Chinese capital.

“Whatever tournament I play, I want to win,” Medvedev said ahead of the China Open which starts on Thursday. “It's a strong field in Beijing, like last year, so if I want to win the tournament, you need to play your best from the first to the last match. It's not going to be easy, but that's the goal.

“Regarding the draw, when Sinner, Alcaraz play, you know you're not the top two seed, you know it's going to be tough. In the semi-finals you're going to have to play one of them if they get there. [I will] take it step by step, try to improve my level step by step, and hopefully I can show some good tennis.”

One of Medvedev’s potential semi-final opponents is Alcaraz, his Laver Cup teammate who holds a commanding 5-2 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Spaniard was able to shake off his shock US Open second-round exit to Botic van de Zandschulp to play a pivotal role in Team Europe’s thrilling comeback over Team World on Sunday.

“If we both meet [in the semi-final], to play against Carlos is not easy, especially when he's on fire,” Medvedev said of the four-time Grand Slam titlist. “I could see it when we played in the Laver Cup. He was playing good there. The guys had no chance. You need to try to put him under pressure all the time. That's where maybe you can get the chance, that's the most important: to play your best tennis.

“Honestly [the Laver Cup] was a very great experience. I know I was the only one on the team to get zero points, but it's okay, that's why it's a team competition. My team won, so it's okay. I'm happy that the team got my back.”

Medvedev gets his Beijing campaign underway with a first-round clash against veteran Gael Monfils, the No. 46 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Their Lexus ATP Head2Head series is level at 2-2, with the most recent encounter going the way of Medvedev in a comprehensive win at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte Carlo in April.

However, the 38-year-old Frenchman rolled back the years with an impressive win over Alcaraz in the second round of the Cincinnati Open last month, demonstrating the threat he still poses for any opponent.

“I think it will be different,” Medvedev said ahead of his clash with Monfils. “I'm different. He's different. It's normal, every year, everything changes. [It’s] actually interesting to see how it goes. It's always interesting to play [against Monfils]. Some great points, some great rallies, [I'm] looking forward to it.”

Medvedev is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, bidding to strengthen his chances of qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals over the course of the Asian swing. The 28-year-old clinched the trophy in 2020, having qualified for each of the past five editions.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]