Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz comes back to beat Frances Tiafoe in the third round

After his opening round victory in the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament a few days ago, Daniil Medvedev scribbled a sarcastic message on the camera lens.

“6-2, 6-2, 1h 36m, very fast courts,” wrote the former world No. 1.

Medvedev has never been a fan of the slow hard courts at Indian Wells.

One of his most famous mid-match rants came at this very tournament two years ago when he became so frustrated at the speed of the court, he told the umpire between sets: “It’s a disgrace to sport, this court. It’s not a hard court. I know what is hard court, I’m a specialist on hard court.”

This year, the courts have been redone and several players have said they felt the surface has been playing faster than usual. Not Medvedev, though, who made sure to point out that his 6-2, 6-2 win over Bu Yunchaokete last Friday should not have taken him more than 90 minutes to complete. 

Last month in Dubai, Medvedev mocked the net-cam for failing to show whether his opponent had touched the net or not on a video replay, and suggested on social media he should be refunded the $60,000 fine he paid for breaking the net-cam during the Australian Open a few weeks earlier.

“What is this $60k camera doing there, if it cannot show if he touched the net or not?” said Medvedev in the post-match press conference.

Whether he is losing his cool on court, taunting the crowd, or speaking his mind in press, Medvedev has become a fan favorite for being both funny and authentic. Even his peers find his openness refreshing, with one player recently telling me he particularly enjoys watching Medvedev’s press conferences because “he is true to himself.”

Medvedev found that amusing when I told him and did not hesitate when I asked him if he had a personal favorite public speaker.

“I definitely love Jose Mourinho. That’s my favorite one,” Medvedev replied in a recent interview in Dubai.

“He’s the king of sarcasm. I can be like this sometimes, but I don’t really, in a way, like to do it during press. I could be, but in press I try to be more serious. But I absolutely love his sarcasm. It’s like so on point all the time. Because there is sarcasm, which you are like looking and you think it’s stupid, but he’s on point 99 percent of the time.”

Most people will say that Medvedev’s sarcasm is also “on point,” although he admits he sometimes should hold back when he is on court.

“The thing is that here (in press), I speak what I think,” he said in Indian Wells this week.

“On the court sometimes I say things which I don’t really think. It’s just because of the adrenaline, the stakes, the pressure of the moment, I sometimes say things which after the game I can clearly say I did not think this, it’s not true.”

Has he ever been discouraged by anyone from his entourage to be less forthcoming to avoid controversy?

“I could be discouraged, but only from myself,” he said.

Tennis can be seen as a polished sport, with most players advised to keep things diplomatic when speaking to the press, especially in this age of social media when statements can easily be taken out of context.

It is why someone like Medvedev can stand out, as one of a only a few who try to share their honest thoughts about difficult subject matter.

As an entertainment product, tennis faces stiff competition from other major sports and the endless content available on streaming platforms. Medvedev is a sports fan and realizes tennis can be lagging in certain areas on the business front, but is unsure what the tour can adopt from other leagues or disciplines in order to boost its popularity.

“When I look at tennis as a sport and what it is and which players we have and how many people watch it, that there could have been something that much better and maybe tennis would be... I would not be surprised if it would be even second after football, maybe, which it’s not in a way,” he said.

“But for this, I don’t know what needs to be done.

“I’m sure that something could have been done better because I see that tennis is struggling in some parts of business. And at the same time, I’m not the one to change it.”

One thing that has kept tennis in the headlines in recent weeks is the three-month ban handed to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol, which authorities accepted was transmitted into his system via an over-the-counter cream used by his former physiotherapist to treat a wound in his hand.

Sinner, who won eight titles last season, including two Grand Slams, will be out of action until May. Does Medvedev believe the Italian’s absence can open the door for him to scoop some silverware?

“It depends because in the big picture, not having Sinner, who’s winning probably lately one out of two tournaments he’s in, maybe even a bit more, is definitely favorable in terms of results for everyone on the tour, not only me, literally everyone,” said Medvedev.

“And at the same time, the way my results were lately, I don’t care in a way about Sinner because last many, many tournaments, I haven’t even faced him because I was not far enough to face him. So it depends.

“But I like what Carlos (Alcaraz) said, that the most important is to look at yourself, try to do what you can best, win matches. You play Sinner, you try to win, you play someone else, you try to win, and that’s the most important.”

In Medvedev’s own words, his start to the season has been “slow,” with an early exit at the Australian Open and just one semifinal appearance in five tournaments contested so far in 2025.

The 29-year-old dropped out of the top five in January, for the first time in two years and is ranked No. 6 this fortnight at Indian Wells.

Owner of 20 career titles, Medvedev has not lifted a champion’s trophy since May 2023, which he mostly attributes to the heavier balls introduced by the ATP Tour in recent years.

“It brings some disadvantages to some players. It brings some advantages to some others. And that’s normal. The only thing I’m asking is, we have slow balls, no problem. We have slow courts, no problem. Let’s sometimes make fast balls and fast courts. Fast courts do exist. Fast balls, I don’t think they exist anymore,” he said.

“And that’s a problem for some players. So when some players go down the rankings and we’re like, upset, upset, upset. No, there is a real reason for this.”

Some players, like Stefanos Tsitsipas, have reacted to the introduction of slow balls by making some drastic changes, like switching their equipment. Tsitsipas recently changed his racket, using a blacked-out-framed Babolat instead of his previous Wilson, and immediately won the title in Dubai as a result.

Medvedev describes himself as someone who is “resistant to change,” but admits he has tinkered with strings and some specs to his racquet in the past in an attempt to adapt to the new conditions on tour.

He remains convinced he can get back to winning ways with these balls in play, but it remains a work in progress.

“In 2023, the balls were already like this and I managed to win, what was it, four out of five tournaments. So, I can do it. I need a lot of confidence. I need a lot of mental toughness, which maybe sometimes I didn’t have lately,” he said.

“But I can do it. This, I’m sure. What I always said, this put some disadvantages to my game because I know my strong sides. It kind of keeps my strong sides but makes my weak sides worse, the slow balls.

“Some other guys, it advantages them. It’s no problem to have it sometimes. I would love it 50/50. Sometimes fast balls, sometimes slow balls. But it’s not the case right now. I did already try many different things: racket, strings, whatever. Some worked, but then the other tournament they don’t work.”

Medvedev feels he has played many close matches this year and not finding his best at the most important moments is what cost him dearly. He is certain those slim margins will swing his way sooner or later.

“When I play good, I’m one of the best in the world and I want to try to find it again,” he said.

Edging closer to the 30-and-over club, Medvedev maintains he is as hungry as ever to contend with the world’s best.

He said the love of competition is what drives him the most, and it is something that has never waned.

“I like to compete. A lot of things we as tennis players do, you know, I just came from the lounge and there, I see like three tables playing cards and they all want to win. And that’s how we are,” he said.

“We play games, someone on the phone, PlayStation, cards. Even when I have a car trip, if it’s more than three, four hours, we try to find games to play when you are in the car, you know, let’s count, I don’t know, yellow cars, whatever.

“So, for me, it’s about competition. I like to compete. I like to win. I miss it a little bit and I’m trying my best to find it back.”