In, the newspaper tennis player Gilles Simon, outstanding tactician, decrypts the game of Daniil Medvedev, winner at the US Open against Nowak Djokovic. I strongly encourage you to read this exciting analysis. To return to Caesar, what belongs to Caesar, let's also remember that Fabrice Sbarro is the tactician of the team of Medvedev coach Gilles Cervara.
Admiring Daniil Medvedev, Gilles Simon decorates what makes the strength and specificity of his game.
1. Technique: ′′ His ball turns the other way ′′
Daniil's ball is special. Her specificity is that she stays very low. Because she's very flat or turning the other way. Normally a bullet always happens to you a little lifted. Hers, when she's up, turns the other way, i.e. like a chip. Very few players can do this. Even if ′′ Manna ′′ (Adrian Mannarino) or I are getting closer, Kukushkin was the first to play like this: his long-term setback is almost a chip, but it happens to you very quickly.
In defense, this low ball gives Daniil time because it flies in the air long. The difficulty comes from the fact that he always forces you, whatever the side, to play under the net. Even by far he makes his ball fly but it stays low. It's hard to commit to a ball like this, who dives and doesn't bounce. This is how he slows the game down and that's why he can play far (behind the bottom line). Afterwards, he also has that ability to expedite. If not, playing two an hour he would get eaten. ′′
Game: ′′ A mix of attack-defense that makes it strong ′′
′′ His game is disturbing for two reasons. Firstly because fewer and fewer of us are doing it. Then because surfaces go against this type of game. Today all surfaces bounce back a lot. So the lads strike with all their might and deliver balls that squirt. Before, on indoor fast, all Czechs used to play like this. Stepanek was kinda that idea: he wasn't looking to hit hard, he just wanted his ball to stay low and fuse. For these reasons Daniil is very strong on hard and less on hard ground.
On hard, there's a great balance in his game. He can be defensive, play from afar, play a lot. At the same time, since he's very tall, he has a great service that offers him quite a few free points. It's this attack-defense mix that makes it strong. He controls extremely well in defense, he's very good on pretty simple attack patterns, like the second time after service. He flips everything with foot arms, he has a very good hand to slip your passing that kills. Upon arrival, it's complicated! ′′
Style: ′′ He plays the way he feels ′′
′′ He has a special technique, especially in his end of the reverse gesture. The moment he hit the ball, he goes a little below and he ' carry it. What I like is that his style of play doesn't match his physique. Normally guys like him serve hard, hit hard and don't run. He's feet tall and running everywhere! His technique matches who he is: he plays as he feels. His technique, he doesn't care! What he wants is to put the ball at a spot on the pitch and at a certain speed. Period. With his technique, he can only do what he does but he does it so well that he is world number 2 He has a lot of solutions against many players. For example, he doesn't like to hit a straight stroke at shoulder height, well he manages to beat it to the height that suits him. That's enough to be a monster
In fact, he understood everything: he adapted his technique to what he wants to do. ' ' Okay, I'm 2 m but I want to play two feet behind it. ′′ Ou Ok I'm 2 m but I feel like doing sixty strikes That's what everyone should do! He is not permeable to dogma, he possesses a great strength of character. ′′
2. Tactic: ′′ He understands what will happen in advance ′′
′′ He's an interesting player and I quickly got affection for him and his style of play He is extremely smart and he understands everything. He's actually a chess player: he understands what's going to happen in advance. In his surroundings, no one is going to **** him on the tactics. He's the one dealing with this, he sees everything better than anyone. That's not where you're going to make it progress.
People took a while to understand his style of play because they are not used to it. For the players, it's different. When you faced it once, you understood! He's a ****ing genius! I also like his game because when he speeds up it's not brutal it's not violent. It's only a timing business, not brute force. He's not in the logic of 90 % of guys, caresses the ball. He is an authentic player. It's a unique path, which is hers. This is what I respect above all else. ′′
