Brisbane semi-finalist Medvedev on secrets to early-season success – Tennis Now
By Richard Pagliaro Friday, January 9, 2026
Image Source: Brisbane International Facebook
billie jane king There is a famous saying “Pressure is a privilege”.
Daniil Medvedev Think of pressure as Australia’s driving force.
Top seed Medvedev beats Poland Kamil Majzak 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2.
2019 Brisbane finalist Medvedev reaches his 52nd career hard-court semi-final, second only to Novak Djokovic (127) among active players.
Medvedev will receive Alex Michelson Compete for a spot in the finals.
In a U.S. Championship quarterfinal match, Michelsen won 70 percent of her second-serve points, 6-3, 7-6(7), in a match that saw just one break of serve. Medvedev has won both of his previous two matches against the 21-year-old Michelsen.
Three-time Australian Open finalist Medvedev says the secret to his success in Australia is simple: pressure.
Medvedev said every new season brings its own pressure, so there’s usually a greater urgency to apply the work he’s done in pre-season to Australian Match Play.
“It’s never been talked about, but I think it’s the fact that after preseason. It’s a little bit stressful because you haven’t played for a month and a half and you might try something new,” Medvedev said. “When I say ‘new stuff,’ it’s not serve and volley at every point, but you try to incorporate what you do, maybe a faster forehand or something like that, into your game.
“So it’s a little stressful. Is this going to work? Maybe I’ll miss it, maybe I’ll be scared or something.”
World No. 13 Medvedev, who has won 21 singles titles in 21 different cities, is seeking his first title since the 2018 Sydney Championships on Australian soil. Medvedev says he is keen to implement tactics he developed with coach – Australia Rohan Goetzke and former AO winner Thomas Johansson— in match play.
“I like preseason work,” Medvedev said. “I usually work hard physically. I work hard tennis-wise and mentally and I usually perform better after pre-season.
“When you play [ATP Finals in] Turin, you have a shorter pre-season, so it’s the first time in six or seven years that I’ve had a longer pre-season and it’s working very well. “
Former world number one Medvedev is ruining the prospects of an All-American final in Brisbane.
The winner of the Medvedev-Michelsen semi-final will face either World Series 58 Alexander Kovacevicwho resolved Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 or Brandon Nakajimahe defeated Raphael Collignon 6-3, 6-3.
Both Americans have reaped the rewards of coaching with veteran U.S. coaches. David Witt, who has coached Venus Williams, Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe, has been working with Kovacevic. Former Wimbledon doubles and mixed doubles champion Rick Leach has been coaching Nakajima.
