French Open: 'It hurts him' - John McEnroe reveals why Daniil Medvedev struggles on clay at Roland-Garros

John McEnroe has said that the red clay of Roland-Garros «hurts» second seed Daniil Medvedev, who has had to adapt to the surface the hard way after having only one match worth of preparation for this year's tournament. Speaking with fellow Eurosport expert Alex Corretja, McEnroe thinks that the Russian «relies on movement», which in turn makes him «more uncomfortable than the most of the other players» when it comes to the dirt of Paris. Ad/> «It’s like it hurts him,» the American said.

«He’s not as adept or accepting of the situation on the clay. /> Roland-Garros'Wow!' — Djere outfoxes Medvedev in breathtaking rally at French Open2 HOURS AGO »You know, as I mentioned earlier; the two-handed backhand — it’s a great shot, but it’s flat — so I think guys coming up against him can take advantage of that. «Where would you rather hit a ball if you’re a player? Here [at waist height], or if Rafa’s playing, you’re hitting it around here [at head height].

I think that the spin has more of an impact on the clay.» A finalist himself at Roland-Garros in 1984, McEnroe insisted that Medvedev can only get better on the surface. «But you know, some of this won’t matter, obviously, because Daniil Medvedev is an incredible player. Why in god’s name couldn’t he play better on clay? I think he can; it’s just a mindset.