Daniil Medvedev defended compatriot Andrey Rublev after the pair contested the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Saturday.

Medvedev took the occassion to comment on remarks made by Stefanos Tsitsipas during the ATP Tour Finals last season.

Tsitsipas had implied that Rublev’s game was excessively basic.

Medvedev wasn’t having it and while he had the microphone in his possession took Tsitsipas to task.

The former world no 1 put Rublev away 6-2, 6-2 but insisted that their battles are always intense and that his opponent is capable of troubling any player on the ATP Tour.

“First of all I would like to congratulate Andrey for a great week,” Medvedev said after the match.

“I just want to say that I remember not long ago, one player said that he has just a few weapons, and I was reading this and I was like, ‘How can you say this?’” the former World No. 1 recalled, before adding “Andrey is one of the most skilful players on the tour, he just didn’t exploit fully his potential but I’m sure that he can win Grand Slams.”

Medvedev concluded his comments on the night by wishing Rublev well in his next match against Tsitsipas.

“Hopefully he can beat this guy, who said it, many, many times, and I wish this for sure,” he said.

He added that Rublev is among the kindest people he knows and isn’t somebody who deserves to get slated.

“I feel like people start to know it that Andrey is the kindest person on tour but I just want to say it out loud so everyone knows it,” he said.

Rublev also had some kind words for his compatriot and lauded his fitness and resilience, commenting that he couldn’t believe that Medvedev has rattled off 14 wins in a row on the ATP Tour.

“I never said this to Daniil face-to-face, but I have huge, huge respect for him. He is a real champion and a real inspiration for the players,” the World No. 6 said.“We know each other since we were kids and Daniil didn’t have much financial help or power (but) I never heard (him say) that he was unlucky or that he doesn’t have financial help like other players. He always (kept) working hard. He proved that he is a real champion,” he added.

Medvedev has had a lot more run-ins with Tsitsipas than Rublev has and once infamously found himself being called a ‘bullsh*t Russian’ by the former world No 2.

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