Medvedev Says Balance Key as He Adapts Game for Clay

02 April 2023, US, Miami Gardens: Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev celebrates after defeating Italy's Jannik SInner during their men's final match of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. (dpa)
02 April 2023, US, Miami Gardens: Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev celebrates after defeating Italy's Jannik SInner during their men's final match of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. (dpa)
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Medvedev Says Balance Key as He Adapts Game for Clay

02 April 2023, US, Miami Gardens: Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev celebrates after defeating Italy's Jannik SInner during their men's final match of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. (dpa)
02 April 2023, US, Miami Gardens: Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev celebrates after defeating Italy's Jannik SInner during their men's final match of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. (dpa)

Daniil Medvedev will head into the Monte Carlo Masters hoping to strike the right balance as the world number four looks to tweak his game for the claycourt swing without compromising on the style that has delivered four titles in 2023.

Medvedev has won 18 of his 19 titles, including the 2021 US Open, on hardcourts, the only exception coming at the Mallorca Open when he triumphed on grass the same year.

He has been in red-hot form this season having triumphed in Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai and Miami but the 27-year-old knows clay presents a different challenge for his game.

"I definitely have to change my game because my strokes are too flat and clay doesn't let the ball go through the court as much," Medvedev, who plays Lorenzo Sonego or Ugo Humbert first in the ATP 1000 tournament, said.

"My opponents can use those (shots against me).

"At the same time, you can't change what you do in nine months or a year drastically, so I have to find a good balance where I still play my game, with a little change, with some shots in the right moment."

Despite not being the biggest fan of clay, Medvedev reached the Monte Carlo semi-finals and Barcelona final in 2019 and the Russian knows winning a title on the surface would boost his confidence before the French Open.

He would much rather be playing on hardcourts though.

"I wish we could continue on hard, but I understand that there are different surfaces on Tour and that is good because some people are better on clay, some on hard, some on grass," Medvedev said.

"It's good to have different surfaces, I think that's good for the sport."



Firmino and Toney Score as Al-Ahli Reaches Asian Champions League Final

Al Ahli players celebrate after they defeated Al Hilal in a AFC Champions League Elite semifinal soccer match at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April, 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ali Issa)
Al Ahli players celebrate after they defeated Al Hilal in a AFC Champions League Elite semifinal soccer match at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April, 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ali Issa)
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Firmino and Toney Score as Al-Ahli Reaches Asian Champions League Final

Al Ahli players celebrate after they defeated Al Hilal in a AFC Champions League Elite semifinal soccer match at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April, 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ali Issa)
Al Ahli players celebrate after they defeated Al Hilal in a AFC Champions League Elite semifinal soccer match at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April, 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ali Issa)

Roberto Firmino and Ivan Toney scored as Al-Ahli beat Al-Hilal 3-1 to reach the final of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.
The all-Saudi Arabian semifinal was played before more than 50,000 fans at King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Al-Ahli’s home city.
Al-Ahli will take on the winner of Wednesday’s clash between Al-Nassr, also of Saudi Arabia, and Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in Sunday’s final.
“Al-Ahli was the better team,” Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. “This was a game between two good teams and while we had some good periods in the game, they outperformed us.”
It took just nine minutes for Al-Ahli to open the scoring as Firmino, who joined the club from Liverpool in 2023, shot home from inside the area.
Just before the half-hour, ex-Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez set up Toney for the England striker to make it 2-0.
Al-Hilal hit back after 42 minutes as Saudi Arabian international Salem Al-Dawsari scored his 10th goal of the tournament so far.
On the hour, Al-Hilal was reduced to 10 men as former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly was shown a second yellow card.
There was still time for former Barcelona and AC Milan star Franck Kessie to see his penalty saved by Hilal’s Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
In stoppage time, however, Firas Al-Buraikan made it 3-1 to seal a famous win for Al-Ahli and a first final appearance since 2012.
“It was a great night for us and our fans,” Al-Ahli coach Matthias Jaissle said, according to The Associated Press. “We are now just one step away from the title and all our focus is on that. We don’t mind who we play, Al-Nassr or Kawasaki. We will be ready.”