“Been in finals and lost against Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz; I want to be better than them” – Daniil Medvedev on his title drought

Despite his title drought, Daniil Medvedev has been open about his struggles, admitting to his defeats against Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz in different tournaments.

Despite making a strong start to his season last year, Medvedev has been unable to replicate his success. He went on a title-winning streak, ultimately winning the Italian Open. However, he has been unable to add to his tally since then, coming up short in several finals.

The World No. 4 was defeated by Djokovic in the US Open final, Sinner in the Vienna and Beijing finals, and again in the 2024 Australian Open title matches. Medvedev has recently faced another defeat, this time to Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final for the second consecutive year.

In addition, Jannik Sinner ended the former World No. 1’s attempt to defend a title for the first time in the semifinals of the Miami Open. The Italian claimed victory with a 6-1, 6-2 score, marking his fifth consecutive win over Medvedev.

Despite his recent loss, Daniil Medvedev was questioned about his lack of titles since his victory in Rome last year. In response, the 28-year-old provided a fresh viewpoint by highlighting that his defeats in finals were against strong opponents such as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Sinner.

“Well, it depends, because I’m trying, you know, to play the best tournaments in the world. I think if we look tournament by tournament, you know, I’m losing against big players,”Daniil Medvedev said in his post-match press conference.

The Russian player also conveyed a strong determination to conquer the challenges posed by the aforementioned trio, recognizing the importance of improving his game, whether it be from a mental or a technical perspective.

“I have been in some finals and I lost against Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz, and for sure I want to beat them and, let’s say, be better than them. But I didn’t manage to do it and I have to work on it either mentally or tennis-wise,”he added.

Daniil Medvedev: Balancing Quantity and Quality in Tournament Selection

Daniil Medvedev revealed his plans for the clay season, stating that he will be participating in the Masters 1000 tournaments in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, before heading to the French Open. He acknowledged the challenging task of securing his first championship of the season at one of these prestigious events.

Despite this, the World No. 4 made it clear that his focus is on competing in top-tier tournaments rather than simply collecting titles at ATP 250 events.

“You know, for example, on clay, I’m going to play Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Roland Garros. It might be tough to get a title there, but, you know, yeah, if I would play ten (ATP) 250s a year, I’d probably get some titles,”he said in the same press conference.

“Never be too confident, but I’m sure I would be able to, but I’m trying to play the best tournaments in the world,”he added.

Despite his disappointment, Medvedev acknowledged his missed chance to compete for the Dubai Tennis Championships title earlier this month. He was defeated by Ugo Humbert in the semifinals in straight sets.

“Dubai was a good opportunity. Humbert played well. I didn’t manage to do it. Yeah, hopefully, I can get some this year,”Daniil Medvedev said.