Daniil Medvedev appears to have found his rhythm back on clay at the Italian Open. After a first-round exit in Monte Carlo and a third-round elimination in Madrid, few expected much from Medvedev entering Rome. However, he has stormed his way into the last 8 with a thumping 6-3, 6-2 win over Thiago Agustin Tirante in the R16. After the match, Medvedev pointed out ‘an invincible’ stat that highlights his dominance at the Campo Centrale in Rome.

Though the 30-year-old isn’t the biggest fan of clay courts, he surprisingly heaped praise for the centre court situated in the Italian capital and shared that he is undefeated on it for the past few years. This stat is actually correct, as Medvedev’s last defeat at the Campo Centrale had come back in 2019 when he had lost to Nick Kyrgios 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 in the first round.

“Well, first of all, I like the court because every court in Rome is tiny but different. And I feel like the centre court is not too fast, but not too slow either, so it’s like medium speed, and I kind of like it. If I’m not wrong, I still haven’t lost on centre court, so I was losing on the grandstand or whatever. I think from quarterfinals we only play on centre court, so I’m happy, and I’ll try to play my best tennis,” Medvedev said during his post-match interview.

This statement was pretty much out of the ordinary as Medvedev has previously expressed his dislike for clay-courts on various occasions. He has called it his least-favored surface, and it isn’t a surprise that his record on clay isn’t anything impressive.

“I’m not hiding this – I don’t like clay. Honestly, there’s nothing I like about clay. There are always bad bounces, and you’re dirty after playing. I really don’t enjoy playing on clay,” Medvedev said in 2021.

The Russian had even admitted that he isn’t at his best on clay courts as he isn’t confident about playing on the surface. Notably, he has just one ATP title win on clay, which came at the Rome Masters in 2023.

“I don’t play my best tennis on clay courts. I know that I’m capable of making some good results, as I did in the past. But for this, I kind of need to be in the zone. I don’t feel as confident on clay as on other surfaces. Clay for my body is the most dangerous surface. For me it’s clay courts — every time, every year I have some problems where I cannot be 100 percent,” he had said after his first-round exit at the Geneva Open in 2022.

Medvedev isn’t alone in disliking clay courts. Icons of the sport, such as Roger Federer and John McEnroe, all faced their fair share of problems with the surface before getting used to it eventually.

Medvedev’s dislike for clay seemed to have returned following a 6-0, 6-0 thumping to Matteo Berrettini last month in Monte Carlo. However, the World No. 9 has had a solid campaign at the Italian Open so far, and he now has a great opportunity of making it to the semifinals.

Medvedev will be taking on qualifier Martin Landaluce in the last 8. The latter has been on a roll in the tournament and has already racked up five wins. With the two having never faced each other before in a tour-level match, no one really knows what to expect. But with the rest of the men’s singles matches set to be played at the Campo Centrale, Medvedev will be the favorite to win the clash.

While Medvedev, for once, has showered some praise on clay-courts, Alexander Zverev has a very different opinion about the court conditions at the Italian Open. He felt that the court at the BNP Paribas Arena had a major role to play in his defeat to Luciano Darderi.

Alexander Zverev lambasts Italian Open conditions after shocking defeat

Following his 6-1, 6-7, 0-6 defeat to Darderi, Zverev claimed that it was the “worst” court he has ever played on and was also critical about the conditions in Rome.

“To be honest, the court, I think this is the worst court I’ve ever played on. Juniors, professional, futures, practice, I never played on a court where the court quality is that bad. I have a match point, and the ball jumps over my head. I have a break point, the ball rolls,” he said during the post-match press conference.

The 29-year-old believes that he would have won the match fair and square in straight sets if it weren’t for the windy conditions at the Italian capital.

“I should have won the match in two sets. That’s just the story from there,” he added.

This defeat means that Zverev’s hunt for his first singles title of the year continues. The German has had a strong clay-court season so far, but has fallen on the final few hurdles. For instance, he suffered semifinal exits in both Monte Carlo and Munich.

He had then reached the final of the Madrid Open, but was handed a comprehensive 1-6, 2-6 defeat by Jannik Sinner. His fourth-round exit in Rome has only cast further doubt over his preparations for the French Open, which is set to commence from May 24.

Will Zverev be able to pull off something special at Roland Garros, or does another painful defeat await him on the clay courts of Paris? Let us know what you think in the comments!