New Rome champion making friends with clay

New Rome Masters champion Daniil Medvedev has made his peace with clay courts after winning his first title on the surface Sunday with a 7-5, 7-5 defeat of Holger Rune.

The ATP No. 3 who will rise to second in Monday’s ranking in time for the weekend start at Roland Garros said that while has not fallen in love with what to him is an alien surface, he is developing feelings.

 “I don’t love clay, but let’s call it a friendship,” he said after his title win in just under and hour and three-quarters.

“My tennis love is hardcourts, but I like clay much more now.”

Medvedev claimed his fifth trophy of the season from six finals and now owns six Masters honours at six different venues.

Victory in a Rome final delayed for 90 minutes by ran which has plagued the 12-day tournament was his first on the dirt.

It also provided revenge after losing last month in Monte Carlo to 20-year-ol Dane Rune.

Medvedev had lost all three of his matches in Rome prior to this edition.

The third seed won the first set with a break in the final game and twice came from a break down in the second before finally defeating the headstrong Rune.

“”I’ve always believed in myself, I want to win the biggest titles,” the 2021 US Open champion said.

“But I didn’t think that I would win a Masters 1000 on clay. I really hated clay, nothing was working for me.

“Somehow I felt amazing here in practice and I didn’t know what was happening.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m happy I won here and proved that I’m able to do it on clay.”

Main photo:- Daniil Medvedev with Rome Masters Trophy – ATPTour.com