Daniil Medvedev has made giant strides on the ATP Tour, but he is still some way off the levels of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Outside of Medvedev’s 6-0 6-0 mauling from Matteo Berrettini, the Russian star has been impressive in recent months.
Medvedev has climbed back inside the top 10 of the ATP Tour rankings thanks to back-to-back finals at the Qatar Open and Indian Wells.
Despite his climbs so far this season, Medvedev has still exhibited a vast gap between him and Alcaraz and Sinner.
Daniil Medvedev says why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are so dominant
Medvedev has a losing head-to-head record against both Sinner and Alcaraz, although he’s been more successful than most.
The star defeated Alcaraz for the first time in nearly three years to knock him out of the Indian Wells semi-final.
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Medvedev believes he knows the reason for Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance on the ATP Tour and he outlined it in an interview with ABC.
“Their [Alcaraz and Sinner] strength lies in the fact that they almost always play at their best, even if they don’t always show it. But that means that when they do drop their level, it’s only slightly lower,” he said.
“And that’s why they beat everyone. In my case, on the other hand, my level fluctuates more. So I hope to find my best form again and try to beat them. They’re very far ahead of everyone right now.
“Perhaps in terms of consistency, Zverev might be a little closer. And that’s why he’s ranked third in the world. But even so, it’s difficult for him to beat them. And they’re still there at the top. So, for now, the difference is enormous.”
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Medvedev even detailed the major changes both Alcaraz and Sinner have made to their game to continue their dominance.
“Sinner has improved his serve a lot now. It’s very difficult to counter. With Carlos, it’s more the power of his shots, the power of his forehand. And suddenly, bam, he hits a drop shot,” he said.
“And it’s not just that, because with power, you never know what to expect. Drop shots are fantastic, and even if you anticipate them, you’re not sure you’ll win the point; they’re incredibly fast.
“Basically, they have every shot in their repertoire. And most of them can be better than yours. So it’s not easy to defend against.”
Daniil Medvedev’s head-to-head record against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Unlike many of the top stars on the ATP Tour, Medvedev has managed to capture several wins against Sinner and Alcaraz.
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The star has beaten Alcaraz in three of their nine matches, while he’s won seven of his 16 matches against Sinner.
- Carlos Alcaraz 6-3 Daniil Medvedev
- Jannik Sinner 9-7 Daniil Medvedev
However, their recent head-to-head record is where the pair’s dominance starts to really be shown against Medvedev.
Medvedev has won one of his last five matches against Alcaraz, with his only victory coming at Indian Wells this year.
Sinner and Medvedev’s last 10 matches, meanwhile, has seen the Italian victorious on nine occasions, dating back to the 2023 season.
Nearly all of Medvedev’s success against Sinner came during the early part of the Italian’s career. Medvedev won his first six matches against Sinner, including in two ATP finals in Rotterdam and Miami.
