Daniil Medvedev now set for heat, humidity and hard courts following Tokyo Olympics experience

PRESS CONFERENCE: Medvedev after winning Toronto opener

Daniil Medvedev says he can now take the heat—and the humidity—he's likely to experience on the hard courts.

The 25-year-old Russian most recently played the Tokyo Olympics, where he was visibly affected by the hot, heavy conditions.

"Was not easy in Tokyo," he told press from Toronto, where he is playing this week. "I think it's one of the toughest conditions I ever played in. It was quite hot—we have it in Cincinnati [and] we have it in Australia, we can even have it in New York. But the humidity was quite special along with the heat."

That was also affected by the scheduling, Medvedev adds.

"But is also a matter of habit. Because we came to Tokyo from the grass-court season, where it's usually pretty cold, clay-court season where it's cold in Europe. So it's the first tournament in full heat, full humidity, under the sun, your body's not used to it so that's why I was suffering," he said.

That shouldn't be a problem for him now, though. He's since spent a week in Orlando doing his training.

"I went from Tokyo to Florida, because I didn't want to come back to Europe," Medvedev said. "And it was even tougher than in Tokyo. Now I have Tokyo in my bag, Florida, even here it's pretty hot, so you don't feel the same kind of pressure on your physical condition.

"I'm feeling really good physically. I want to play good tennis. I know when I play good tennis on hard courts, I am hard to beat."

Medvedev reached the final of this year's Australian Open and 2019 US Open, when he also reached the final of Montreal. Ten of his 11 career titles have come on hard courts.

The top seed in Toronto, Medvedev rallied past Alexander Bublik, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, to begin his tournament Tuesday. The world No. 2 is now 3-0 against Bublik this year, adding to victories at Roland Garros and the Olympics.