Former tennis player Gilles Simon recently revealed how his advice to Daniil Medvedev during the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters, which helped Medvedev secure his first win over Novak Djokovic, led to his involvement in the Russian’s coaching team.
Medvedev achieved his breakthrough victory against Djokovic at the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters, defeating the Serb 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Although he was later defeated by Dusan Lajovic in the semifinals, this win marked a significant milestone in Medvedev’s career.
Simon, who now serves as a technical advisor in Medvedev’s team, shared in an interview with Le Figaro how Medvedev approached him for coaching after recalling their previous interaction.
“Daniil contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in doing a few weeks with them (Medvedev and his team) in 2024,” Simon explained. He recounted their exchange before the Monte-Carlo match in 2019, where Medvedev sought advice on facing Djokovic.
Simon’s guidance proved fruitful as Medvedev secured his first victory against Djokovic, prompting him to seek further collaboration.
“(In 2019, before he faced Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals in Monte-Carlo) he had said to me: ‘Novak…what do you think?’ I had explained to him how to play, and he had won (his first victory against Djokovic, after three defeats in as many matches). He remembered, which is why he wanted to try it out with me,” Simon elaborated.
Medvedev and Djokovic have encountered each other 15 times on the ATP Tour, with Djokovic holding a 10-5 lead in their head-to-head matchups. Despite their rivalry, Medvedev’s win in Monte-Carlo remains a significant moment in his career trajectory, and his collaboration with Simon highlights the importance of strategic coaching in professional tennis.
