Medvedev: "Being so close against someone like Sinner gives me a lot of confidence"

Iker Jiménez | 22 Mar 2026 | 19.06

Medvedev: "Being so close against someone like Sinner gives me a lot of confidence." Source: Getty

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Daniil Medvedev continues to add victories this year and already accumulates a great competitive rhythm at the beginning of the season. After reaching the final in Indian Wells, the Russian started his path in the Miami Open 2026 with a hard-fought win against the young Japanese player Rei Sakamoto, in a match where he had to adjust sensations and adapt to very different conditions from those of the Californian desert.

Far from being anchored in a defeat like the one suffered just a week ago, Medvedev focused in an interview with Tennis Channel on his ability to compete head-to-head against opponents like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. A feeling that, as he himself acknowledges, is crucial to face with ambition the second Masters 1000 of the Sunshine Double.

Confidence after Indian Wells

“Indian Wells was a great tournament where I reached the final. There's always a slight bitter taste because you want to win, but it also gives you a lot of confidence, especially playing against someone like Sinner and being so close. That shows me that I'm in good shape. Now I want to try to have a great tournament in Miami. The first set didn't go as I wanted, but I'm happy to have been able to turn it around. New round, new opportunity to achieve something great.”

Mental state

“I feel very fresh. It's true that playing tournaments can wear you out, but it's not my first year on the circuit and I know how to manage it. Also, I always try to see things as a 'win-win' situation. There are tournaments where it's hard to see it that way, but in Miami, if you lose early, you have more time to prepare for the clay season and enjoy the city, and if you win, well, that's great because that's why you're here. It's a winning situation in any case, and I'm happy with whatever happens.”

Enjoying off the court

“I'm having a good time. Sometimes I could prepare for the tournament better from a purely tennis point of view, but I've had some very fun events. Some were mandatory, but others I chose, like going out with Andrey (Rublev), and we had a great time. You get a little tired, but if you only live like a robot on and off the court... I prefer to balance life on and off the circuit. Miami is treating me very well.”

Rei Sakamoto and the new generation

“He hasn't played much on the circuit yet. I saw some of his previous match, and you can tell he has a good serve, goes for his shots, isn't afraid to come to the net. That's the style of the young players now, if you have the physique like him: Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca... they all play like that, fearlessly, hitting hard and coming to the net. He did very well, so it was a great match on his part. I'm happy to have been able to turn it around.”

Conditions in Miami

“It's never easy to transition from Indian Wells to Miami when you've played well there, but at the same time, you have a lot of confidence, and that's what helped me win. I don't want to say the court is slower because I'm not sure, but coming from the dry and fast air of Indian Wells, with a faster court this year, the exchanges here felt much slower, although the serve worked well for both of us.”

String changes

“I usually prefer not to do it. When I'm playing well, I don't change anything. I keep the same tension and don't even change racket with new balls. The way I play, I don't feel the tension change, so I don't see why to do it. I feel good right now, so I don't need to change anything, just find a way to play better.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev: "Estar tan cerca contra alguien como Sinner me da mucha confianza"

Daniil Medvedev