Daniil Medvedev is one the best tennis players of the current era and was tasked to build the perfect player in a recent interview with ATPTour.com
Medvedev went for an amalgam of at least eight players including himself, in the categories of serve, forehand, backhand, net play, touch, mental toughness, return game, and even celebration - cheekily selecting himself in two of those traits.
Medvedev constructed the perfect player beginning with the household shot in tennis - the forehand. It is the shot that you almost invariably cannot go wrong with, but Medvedev is convinced Swiss legend Roger Federer possesses the best forehand in the game, simply because it's the one wing you are never safe when you play the ball to him.
"Forehand? I'll go with Roger Federer. Just because his forehand is so good I think that was his best shot and also the way he sets up with slice for his forehand as soon as you go to his forehand, you are in trouble."
Medvedev makes a surprise selection with the backhand shot, picking Austria's Dominic Thiem, explaining that he's got the most soothing one-fisted backhand when he zips it cross-court and aims for the down-the-line shot.
"I would go with Thiem (backhand), just because I love when he smashes his backhand down the line or cross court. I think he does it really great."
When it comes to the serve Medvedev had riches at his disposal, and named Australia's Nick Kyrgios. Medvedev's choice of preference is a blend of height, power, and precision, something he says is embodied in Kyrgios' serving abilities.
"Serve I go with Kyrgios. Especially for his height because he's one of the best serves ever. Nick regarding, height, power, and precision is probably the best."
The Russian called Novak Djokovic's return 'unreal' and was torn between two names when it came to the slice shot, but holds Steve Johnson's and Roger Federer's in high regard, calling the latter's slice 'unbelievable'. Medvedev also chose two names in the net game, siding with Federer and Kyrgios.
"Return has to be Novak because just the way he returns throughout his career is unreal. The slice I would say two choices. First, Steve Johnson just because throughout his career I don't feel like he played lot of spin backhands and his slice in my opinion is really good. And Roger just because his slice is unbelievable."
"I will go with two people, Kyrgios and Federer. When they go to the net, its so tough to do anything against them."
Medvedev went for the touch of wily French lefty Corentin Moutet and bet on himself when it came to speed, over 20-year-old Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Nevertheless, Medvedev praised Alcaraz for his otherworldly trait, calling him the fastest player he has ever seen,
"Touch, Corentin Moutet, just because his touch is really good. And I'll stay with myself (speed). Carlos is unbelievably fast, maybe the fastest I have seen. Carlos is pure speed, but I love the way I run, so I’ll go with myself."
Medvedev picked Djokovic's flexibility and believes you could make a case for all the Big 3 when it comes to mental toughness but chose to side with Rafael Nadal as the master of digging deep given the number of times he won his matches.
Medvedvdev selected both Djokovic and Nadal when it came to competitiveness and completed his perfect player bizarrely choosing himself in the celebration category.
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