Medvedev Wins Maiden Clay Court Title In Rome

Daniil Medvedev has been crowned champion of the 2023 Italian Open in Rome after beating Holger Rune in Sunday's final.

The Russian won 7-5 7-5 in one hour and 42 minutes to claim his first ever clay-court title.

This takes his overall tally of titles on the ATP tour to 20 with his sixth at Masters 1000 level.

"I always want to believe in myself and I always want to win the biggest tournaments in the world," Medvedev said. 

"But at the same time, I didn't think I could win a Masters 1000 on clay in my career because usually I hated it, I hated playing on it. 

"I didn't feel good on it and nothing was working.

"Before this tournament already in Madrid and Monte-Carlo I wasn't feeling too bad. 

"I thought, 'OK, let's continue'. Then when I came here I felt so good in practice and I told my coach, 'I don't know what is happening but I am feeling amazing, so let's see how it goes'.

"But then you have to play the toughest opponents in the world to try to make it. 

"I am really happy I managed to do it and to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable of doing it."

Medvedev will now rise above Novak Djokovic to world number two and will be seeded second at Roland Garros, which starts on May 28.