Daniil Medvedev Discusses His Decision to Compete in Almaty Despite Fatigue

Currently ranked fifth in the world, Medvedev sits sixth in the Race to Turin and has yet to qualify for the season finale. He traveled to Kazakhstan directly from the Shanghai Masters 1000, where he was the last former champion remaining before losing in the semifinals to Rafael Jodar, a 20-year-old Spaniard nearing the Top 10.

The semifinal loss capped a successful tour in China, where Medvedev won the Hangzhou title, reached the semifinals in Beijing, and secured 11 victories out of 12 matches prior to facing Jodar. This season, he has claimed three titles and leads the ATP Tour in hard-court wins.

Last year, Medvedev won the Almaty title, defeating Corentin Moutet 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the final. As the top seed this year, he begins his title defense against Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro, ranked No. 109, who defeated Roman Safiullin in a three-set match on Tuesday.

Medvedev stated that his decision to compete was not solely about qualifying for Turin. He expressed that it was an easy choice. "If I had decided to skip Almaty, it would have made absolutely no sense. First of all, I was with my wife and kids in Shanghai. We enjoyed our time here together last year, so we wanted to return as it’s a nice place for kids. If I skipped Almaty, I would need to skip Vienna too, as returning home for just three days wouldn’t be helpful at this point in the season."

He also mentioned enjoying the tournament and having commitments to it. "It’s not the first time in my career that I’m tired, so I’m just going to try my best."

Medvedev recalled the tournament's hat given to him last year, noting, “I didn’t wear it, but I have a wardrobe at home filled with cool souvenirs from around the world because they bring back good memories, so it’s probably stored there.”