“I would play with Federer on Red Square”: Medvedev about the dream match, comments by Safin and “duels” with Ovechkin and Dzyuba

The ability to joke and try to be positive about everything that is happening around has always been a hallmark of Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev. So at a meeting with the fans, held at the Lacoste boutique in GUM, the tennis player remained true to himself. Despite the enormous fatigue, busy schedule, and acclimatization after a long flight from Shanghai, the brand ambassador professionally fulfilled his obligations for two hours, managing to pass interviews to leading Russian media along the way.

- If you were competing with Dziuba, who jumps higher and runs 30 meters faster, who would be the winner?

- I know that football players can run very fast, but it’s hard to say how I will be given such a short distance. In general, I'm not the slowest. It will depend on who reacts faster at the start. But Artyom, probably jumping above. He just needs it, because he often plays with his head. It’s much more important to me how much I push off. Therefore, he jumps higher, and I run faster.

- If Ovechkin threw a puck at targets, and you would have knocked them out with a tennis ball, who would be more accurate?

- It seems to me that tennis players are more accurate as a whole, since when throwing with a club the error is greater. But this is just my opinion, not sure if this is true. Would I like to try to take part in such a contest? Yes, with pleasure, that would be very cool.

In fact, we did something similar with the legends of Zenit, Andrei Arshavin and Alexander Kerzhakov, as well as Brazilian midfielder Malkom. True, it was an analogue of darts and they performed kicks with a soccer ball. We turned out to be more accurate, but they were multiplied and due to this they won.

- If you were put on skates together with Alina Zagitova, then how would it end?

“I would fall because I don’t know how to skate.”

- What exactly are you better than Khabib Nurmagomedov?

- In tennis and in the computer game FIFA.

- If you had an All Star Weekend in tennis , like in the NBA or the NHL, what competition would you win?

- Oh, it depends on what kind of competition they organize. Let it be a competition for the accuracy of the game on the left. This is the question of targets. If they were put, I would probably be able to surpass everyone.

- What is the most effective trick you can do with a tennis ball?

“In fact, I don't know many tricks.” There are people on the tour who can mint a racket with a ball for a wildly long time. Any decent tennis player knows how to perform a kick between the legs, although this is a rather complex element. But for me it is the most spectacular of those that I am capable of.

- If the video blog “King of trolls” (King of trolls. - RT ) were created on the ATP website and you led it, who would you be the first to invite to visit?

“No doubt Nick Kiryos.” Because in terms of media, he has no equal. The Australian would immediately “blow up” the transfer, and she would have the best ratings.

- Who is the most talkative tennis player of those with whom you crossed?

- Karen Khachanov. He talks a lot, but it's great, because you never get bored with him.

- If you were forced to sing a song at a tennis champion’s ball, which one would you choose?

- I have terrible voice. Unless the Kalinka would be able to. She would be super.

- If the term “Medvedev effect” appeared in psychology, what would it mean?

- When people do something worse than their true capabilities, which go against someone.

- What do you start to do when you spend more than two days without a wife?

- Play video games on the computer. Because doing it with her would be too boring.

- Remember when you did the most massage after the match?

- We played with Novak Djokovic in the first round match of the Davis Cup in February 2017. My whole body was then brought together and they worked on me for four hours, because I could not move corny.

- If you could build a small temporary court anywhere on Earth and play an exhibition match, where and with whom would you rather fight?

- Without a doubt, in Moscow, on Red Square. It’s impossible to find a better place. And I would call Roger Federer to the rivals. A million fans would come to see him if the stands could accommodate.

- In which match did you eat and drink on the court the most?

- I won’t say with certainty. In any five-set match, you often have to refresh yourself and quench your thirst. By the way, perhaps even the US Open final with Nadal was one of those because it is the longest match of my career. I don’t know how many bananas I ate and drank water, but I think that a lot.

• © Nikolai Dunaevsky

- If Lacoste included in the contract a clause on the need to go to a match with an inflatable crocodile in human height, would you be shocked?

“Then I would go out with him on the court and tell the company managers:“ See how people are laughing at me, what are you doing with me? ”

- What could be better than the title of the first racket of the world?

- Victory in the Grand Slam tournament.

- What do you need to win 915 victories in ATP matches over your career , like Kafelnikov and Yuzhny?

- Win many more matches. I am only at the beginning of the journey.

- Have you heard how your finale with Nadal was commented by Safin?

- No, I didn’t even have time to reconsider that match. I read the brightest quotes in the media the next day. Since everyone talked about it, it means it was fun and cool. I did not hear anyone say that it was boring, or accused Marat of lack of professionalism.

- What was your first reaction when you found out that Svitolina started dating Monfils?

- At first, my wife found out about this, because women are more aware of all the latest gossip. She saw someone on Instagram that they were vacationing together in Dubai. We were surprised, as it was a surprise to everyone. But this is normal and understandable, because we all live in a fairly cramped world.

- How do you differ from Maria Sharapova?

- Uff. (Ponders) By the fact that she is a woman, and I am a man. I don’t know what to think of better.