Medvedev: 'Looking forward to more tennis like this'

Indian Wells

Medvedev: 'Looking forward to more tennis like this'

Sinner praises Medvedev following Indian Wells final

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Daniil Medvedev holds an 18-4 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. By ATP Staff

Daniil Medvedev has plenty to be proud of from his run at the BNP Paribas Open.

The 30-year-old leaves California with an ATP Tour-leading 18 wins, including his semi-final upset over World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who had opened the season on a perfect 16-match winning streak.

Despite falling short of his first Indian Wells title in a tight two-set defeat to Jannik Sinner, Medvedev departs the ATP Masters 1000 event with his confidence intact.

“A great tournament, great level, even including today,” Medvedev said in his press conference Sunday. “Of course, a bit disappointed to not have a couple of moments where I could have played better. Jannik is a tremendous player, so tough to play against.

“In general, I’m happy for the week and looking forward to more tennis like this.”

Returning to the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time since July, Medvedev has enjoyed a strong resurgence. He opened the season with a title run in Brisbane and returned to the winner’s circle in Dubai before arriving in Indian Wells.

Medvedev’s rival Sinner, who won the final without breaking the 11th seed’s serve, praised his fellow ATP No. 1 Club member’s return to form.

“I feel like he's playing great, great tennis,” Sinner said of Medvedev. “He was very confident, already winning a couple of titles this year, coming here and then performing very, very well. He played great tennis, serving very well. I struggled to return, especially on the second-serve return.

“I do believe that tennis needs him. He's a very unique style of playing. Seeing him back at this level, it's great. He's improving a lot. Very aggressive player at the end. He has two different game styles when he serves and when he returns. So you have to face that. It's great for the sport having him again playing at this level.”

Sinner was not the only fellow ATP Tour star to praise the revamped version of Medvedev. After the former No. 1 defeated Alcaraz in the last four, the Spaniard said, "I have never seen Daniil playing like this".

Medvedev was aiming to be the first player to beat Alcaraz and Sinner in the same tournament since Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals. Medvedev recognises that challenge of beating two of the Tour’s most dominant players.

“I'm happy that this tournament I played good enough to beat all the other guys first, and then even good enough to beat Carlos and then to face Jannik,” Medvedev said. “That's going to be my goal, not focus on them too much exactly, but focus on improving myself, improving my game, trying to beat all the other guys.

“Then, whenever you have Carlos and Jannik in the tournament, there is a big chance you're going to meet one of them in the semis, and if you play unbelievable, then one of them in the final. So that's a goal, and that's what I'm going to try to continue doing.”

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Reflecting on his past two matches, Medvedev acknowledged the emotions of beating Alcaraz contrasted with the sting of Sunday’s loss.

“To beat Carlos yesterday feels like a win of the tournament, especially for me. I lost a lot against him,” Medvedev said. “But that's not the reality. There is a final to play. I had my opportunity, small opportunity in the first set. A bit bigger opportunity in the tie-break in the second. But at the same time, I was hanging by not big margins in the whole set.

“So it is what it is. It's like a bittersweet feeling where it feels good to do what I did this week.”

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