Daniil Medvedev is keeping his eyes on the prize as he heads into the Italian Open, determined to turn around a sluggish start to his 2026 clay court season. The Russian star, currently ranked ninth in the world and seeded seventh in Rome, has yet to find his rhythm on the red dirt this year. His best showing so far came at the Madrid Open, where he reached the round of 16 before falling to Flavio Cobolli. That followed a tough first-round exit at Monte Carlo, where he was edged out by Matteo Berrettini.

Despite these early setbacks, Medvedev remains upbeat. He recently spoke about his upcoming match against Alexander Zverev at the Stadio Pietrangeli, reflecting on their storied rivalry. "He is an amazing player, but if I remember right, I think our head-to-head is something like 10-7," Medvedev said, though the record now stands at 11-7 in his favor. Their clay court battles have been particularly memorable: Zverev won their round of 16 clash in Monte Carlo last April in three sets, but Medvedev got his revenge later that year in Rome, winning a thrilling semi-final before going on to claim the title.

Looking back at his recent form, Medvedev found plenty of positives to carry into the Italian capital. "I think I played great in Madrid, and it was a great feeling. The match against Flavio, even if I lost, was a high-quality match," he told the Italian Open's official YouTube channel. "So it's a lot of positives coming into Rome, trying to even improve this level and that's where you can maybe go even further in the tournaments, and that's what I'm going to try to do."

Returning as a past winner adds an extra layer of motivation for the Russian. "I love coming back here. Always a special place for me for sure. I love the tournament. I love what they do for the players. So I'm feeling really good to be back here," he said. Medvedev will open his campaign in the second round, where he faces a tough test against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Tomas Machac. It's a challenging draw, but Medvedev is ready to put his slow start behind him and make another deep run on clay.