Daniil Medvedev marvels at Novak Djokovic still finding clay court success amid Rafael Nadal dominance
ATP
Novak Djokovic still being able to find clay court success amid the dominance of Rafael Nadal as well as it not being his preferred surface shows why he is one of the greatest sportsman ever says Daniil Medvedev.
Typically, the Serbian has had more success on hard courts and grass but in recent years with Nadal's decline has also dominated clay and comes into Rome this week where he will play his first match on Friday as the player to beat. This is the main due to injuries with Djokovic even not playing since March.
Medvedev said that despite that, it's hard to find anyone with Nadal's legacy on clay. But given this, it makes Djokovic's dominance even more remarkable as he still was able to win on clay in Nadal's pomp. “Well, for sure. When we have Rafa in the same generation winning 14 Roland Garros, I don't know, 10 Rome, I don't even remember the exact number, it's tough to find anyone close to his legacy on clay," said Medvedev in Rome Open press.
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"But Novak, he's amazing on all the surfaces. Maybe because of Rafa on clay, he has a bit less titles than he could have had. It works the same for Rafa. If there would not be Novak on the hard and grass, maybe Rafa would have more titles there. Yeah, he's an amazing player on every surface.
"I do think in his game, grass court and hard court.. his game is more suited for these surfaces. That's where I find Novak amazing. Even if my opinion from the side is that on clay his game might have been a bit more vulnerable. He still wins three Roland Garros, I think Monte-Carlo two times, Rome maybe three or four. It's amazing. That's why Novak is definitely one of the best sportsmen in the world.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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