Daniil Medvedev started his 2025 season with a victory against his Russian opponent, Karen Khachanov, at the Monte Carlo Masters. Medvedev secured his first clay court victory of the year by winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Despite securing a win, he expressed his well-known struggles on the clay court in the post-match interview. Daniil Medvedev said, “It’s the first match on clay. Not my favorite surface,” reinforcing his long-standing reputation as one of the ATP Tour’s most vocal clay-court skeptics.
After his match at the Monte Carlo Masters, a very famous phrase resurfaced on X, “Death, taxes, and Meddy hating clay.” This phrase depicts Medvedev’s intense dislike of the clay court. For the fans, the player’s constant fight with the clay courts has been a running joke to share on social media.
Despite the victory against Karen Khachanov on the clay court. The winner’s body language showed continuous frustration. His flat groundstrokes and aggressive baseline play often clash with the slower, high-bouncing conditions of clay courts, making each point a physical and mental battle.
Despite the odds and challenges of the clay court, Daniil Medvedev was successfully able to pull off the victory over Karen, who also pushed him to a deciding set.
The 28-year-old didn’t break his calm during the entire match, clearing the path for him to face either Lorenzo Musetti or Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
While his record on hard courts speaks for itself, Daniil Medvedev’s clay season is often seen as damage control before returning to his preferred faster surfaces. Still, his honesty and humor about his discomfort with clay have earned him a loyal fan base who appreciates his candid personality.
As the Monte Carlo Masters progresses, fans will be watching closely to see if Medvedev can continue to adapt or whether clay’s notorious challenges will catch up with him once again.