Mission Impossible. That’s what it looks like in these the challenge to beat Daniil Medvedev, the fittest player on the circuit. When he chains three consecutive weeks as champion, it is logical to believe that he is capable of everything and the Russian exudes confidence from every pore of him. Despite not being able to reach the final rounds in Palm Springs, the way to approach this ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells 2023 it is radically different in the Russian and it will be very difficult to beat him. It is worth listening to his explanations of how he has managed to adapt to playing conditions that do not perfectly fit his preferences and how he faces what is an adversity for him, since he is not at all devoted to the fact that the competition courts are so slow. like those of the Californian event.
Slowness of Indian Wells slopes and adaptability
“I feel very good, with enormous confidence after the new tournaments and the truth is that I don’t feel tired. Each new tournament is a challenge, everything starts from scratch and I want to take advantage of this moment to improve my results here, which historically They have not been good at all”, said the Russian before explaining where his difficulty lies in performing well in this event. “The ball and court surface make this tournament one of the slowest in the world. Sometimes it feels like you’re playing on clay. I’m not thrilled with these conditions, but I feel like I can play well.” anywhere after how I managed to adapt in Doha, whose tracks are similar to those here,” he said.
And it is surprising the confession made by Daniil regarding the way in which he has managed to display his best tennis on courts that had always been adverse to him. “To win games on this type of surface I need to play my best game, while on others that are faster I can afford to go from less to more and win games without playing too well, like in Rotterdam for example. That’s where it changed all because I had no confidence, but I decided to make an adjustment to the strings of my racket that allow me to maintain control of the point and offer me greater depth in my shots, something very important to me since it gives me the possibility to play for behind the bottom line”, said a Medvedev who suggests having lowered the tension of his strings or having changed them for others that give off more.
What has changed this season compared to other years?
“Before competing in Rotterdam I was in one of the worst moments of my career, my confidence was on the floor. I understood that it was a mental issue and my coach encouraged me to keep trying. I know that this winning streak can end at any time , but having won three tournaments in a row, adapting to very different playing contexts, making long trips and overcoming jet lag, I know I have found the right rhythm. Right now I feel prepared to do very well in Indian Wells 2023.” , he asserted.
It is curious to see how a change in routines can refresh the mind of tennis players and make them explore their limits. “The biggest successes of my career always came in the second half of the year, which is logical because the courts of the American tour before the US Open are the ones that best suit my tennis. However, I think I can do it here too good. My poor results in the previous two years were due to the physical and mental stress of being a finalist in Australia. I was not prepared to compete at my best in the following months. This year, losing early, I was able to take a week to disconnect and then I trained hard. The results are being seen,” he asserted. Daniil Medvedevwhich will debut in the ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells 2023 compared to Brandon Nanashima.
