By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday January 22, 2024
After his victory over Nuno Borges in the round of 16 on Monday in Melbourne, Daniil Medvedev gave Jim Courier a tour of his domain, the way back of the court where he likes to return serve from. Courier wanted to know how Medvedev started to return from such a preponderous position on the court, and what it was like to start rallies from so far behind the baseline (It's a very funny interview - video below).
It’s one of the elements of Medvedev’s game that makes him so tricky to face, but it’s not the only thing. Here’s what Portugal’s Nuno Borges said about Medvedev’s game after he lost to the Russian 6-3 7-6(4) 5-7 6-1 on Monday.
“I think Medvedev's effect on your game is making miss a little too much,” the World No.69 said. “It's not like he can push you back too much or hit a really hard first serve and hit a winner every time, no. It's more likely to be long rallies and just draining you slowly and make you overplay a lot. I really felt that.
“I thought I had the shots to make a difference. He just made me hit another one and another one and another one until I would eventually make a mistake.”
Borges shouldn’t hang his head. He thrilled in Melbourne, becoming the first player from his country to reach the second week at the Aussie Open. And he’s not the first one to find himself befuddled by Medvedev.
Besides, Borges still cracked 55 winners, and managed to take a set off of the former World No.1. Not bad at all…
“He was really good at just making me feel that way, like a little desperate to win the point. Like, he was always reading my game. But I guess that's why he is so good. It makes you feel that way,” Borges reiterated.
“Even though you feel like you have control of the match, you don't really. He doesn't really give you the point that easily.”