Daniil Medvedev claims fatherhood has made him 'a sensitive person' as he prepares for return from injury
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Updated 26/10/2022 at 17:06 GMT
Daniil Medvedev was holding his own against Novak Djokovic at the Astana Open in Kazakhstan in the semi-finals, but had to withdraw due to a muscle strain. As he prepared for a return to the court in Austria for the Vienna Open, he has opened up on how fatherhood has changed him emotionally, saying he previously was "not able to feel".
Medvedev makes shocking mid-match retirement to give Djokovic victory in thriller
Ahead of the Vienna Open, Daniil Medvedev has discussed the effects that fatherhood have had.
On October 14, the Russian revealed on social media that his wife, Daria, had given birth to a baby girl. The 26-year-old’s news was a surprise to many fans as there had been no public acknowledgement of the pregnancy.
On the sporting side of his life, Medvedev had suffered from a muscle strain which caused him to retire from the Astana Open, in Kazakhstan, in the semi-final stages at the start of his month. He had been performing well against Novak Djokovic but could not get past the third set. That disappointment however meant that he was able to spend some free time with his wife and daughter.
Now that the Vienna Open is underway he will get back to tennis, and he spoke to ATPTour.com about the initial impacts of the new arrival.
“There’s a lot of emotions that I am not able to feel,” he said.
“When I say I am not able to feel, I am not able to feel this [high] calibre because I am a quiet, a bit of a cold person in life and I felt so many good emotions where I was like ‘I’m a sensitive person. I can be a sensitive person’.
“A lot of fun and a lot of good feelings, but I am a competitor and I want to continue going to tournaments, trying to do my best, winning so I was practising a lot before coming here. Nothing has changed, I still want to win.”
Medvedev's daughter is not the only newborn to join the tour.
Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam winner, and his wife Mery Perello had a child on October 8, and a week later Ella Svitolina and Gael Monfils also welcomed a child.
Medvedev has not had his best year on the circuit in 2022, winning just the Los Cabos Open in August, but he will take part in the event in Austria before moving on to Bercy for the Paris Masters in France. Last year he was runner-up in the Paris Masters, before also coming second in the ATP Finals.
If he were to win both tournaments then he would have enough tour points to secure his place in the ATP Finals, which will be held in Turn, Italy.
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