Daniil Medvedev is a top three favourite to win this year's French Open, says Laura Robson
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ByEurosport
Updated 30/05/2023 at 09:56 GMT
Laura Robson believes Daniil Medvedev's recent form on clay makes him one of the leading contenders to win the French Open this year. Medvedev won the Italian Open title in Rome earlier this month to claim the first clay-court title of his career. Robson believes Medvedev's willingness to adapt to his least favoured surface has made him far more dangerous for his opponents.
Medvedev has 'more expectations than usual' at French Open
Laura Robson says Daniil Medvedev is a top three favourite to win the French Open this year.
The No. 2 seed has previously expressed he does not like playing on clay, but he claimed the first clay-court title of his career in Rome earlier this month and his fifth title of the year.
With 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal not at this year's Roland-Garros due to a lack of fitness, Robson believes Medvedev's form makes him one of the favourites to win the Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
"I don't think anyone would have picked him to win Rome out of all of the clay court tournaments in the lead-up to Roland-Garros," the Eurosport tennis expert said.
"I think that shows how much he has improved out here and [he's] mentally stronger than ever before. That was tough conditions, a lot of rain delays.
"He didn't really know what to expect in those last few days where the matches were scheduled for certain times. I think that puts him in the top three favourites coming into this tournament, the fact he is won a Masters on this surface, he's got so much confidence.
"Maybe we'll start to see him build through the draw because it's going to stay sunny like this which will definitely help him through the conditions."
Robson believes the 2021 US Open winner and two-time Australian Open finalist has improved his on-court temperament on clay and that his "acceptance" of the surface is greatly benefitting his performances.
"I think it's more the acceptance of the surface," she said.
"We're not seeing him get so frustrated at bad bounces, we're seeing him adjust on the fly.
"The only time I've really seen him annoyed this clay season was in Madrid where he played on the second court and there wasn't as much space at the back so he couldn't stand six or seven metres behind the baseline to serve.
"Other than that he's seeming to adjust better than ever on this surface and is maybe now enjoying it. Enjoying it is maybe not the right word but trusting his game a little bit more for sure.
"He could for sure keep improving on this surface with his game. He obviously plays pretty fast on the baseline when he's in the rally but then he's starting to go up and back a lot more.
"We've seen in the last few matches where sometimes he can get stuck in that return position way back but he's kind of adjusting on the fly.
"I think that's the biggest difference compared to last year when he just didn't want to be in the long rallies, he didn't like the clay on his socks. It was small things he was getting angry at which we're not seeing this year."
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