The shift from season’s end to pre-season often scrambles competitive timing, and Daniil Medvedev discovered that in Bengaluru. The World Tennis League produced genuine theatre as the tournament favorite absorbed a stunning upset by the world’s No. 524. The result proved how abruptly momentum can vanish and how even elite operators can be ambushed when sharpness slips.

The contest between the Game Changers Falcons and the Aussie Mavericks Kites came down to fine margins. Both teams were fighting for a place in the final of the Iconik Sports Presents World Tennis League. The match took place at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru.

India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh, playing for the Aussie Mavericks Kites, produced the decisive performance. He defeated Daniil Medvedev, a singles Grand Slam champion, 6-4 in the final set. That result pushed his team into Saturday’s title match.

The Kites began the day at the bottom of the leaderboard. They completed a dramatic turnaround. They beat the Falcons 24-19 and moved into second place with 58 points.

Get the Break Point Newsletter. Daily tennis news spanning the WTA, ATP, and Grand Slams — from on-court action to off-court storylines.

Their opponent in the final will be AOS Eagles. The Eagles defeated VB Realty Hawks 22-12 and topped the standings with 65 points.

Medvedev usually thrives with his unusual strokes and consistent baseline rhythm. He prefers long exchanges from the back of the court. Suresh refused to allow that pattern. He took risks and stepped inside the court. He pushed Medvedev into defensive positions instead of letting him dictate.

Serving patterns also mattered. Suresh varied pace and location. This prevented Medvedev from locking into extended return patterns.

Key moments arrived late in the set. Pressure rose on every point. Suresh stayed calm. Many young players might freeze against a player of Medvedev’s stature. Instead, Suresh trusted his game. He executed when it counted.

The last few games were a mental and tactical test. Suresh met both standards and closed the match.

Sumit Nagal also made an impression. His men’s singles match against Denis Shapovalov showed how far he has progressed. Shapovalov, a former world top-10 player, is known for explosive shot-making. Many expected Nagal to struggle. Instead, Nagal controlled rallies from the start. His 6-1 win came from clean execution, not just Shapovalov having a poor day.

These two results changed the shape of the evening. In a league frequently influenced by international stars, Nagal and Suresh ensured that Indian singles players shaped the narrative. Their victories also influenced team scoring in tight matchups. 

And this was also not the first time in 2025 that Medvedev fell short after a difficult year.

Mansour Bahrami forecasts Medvedev’s possible top-10 return

Daniil Medvedev struggled through most of 2025. He dropped out of the top 10 in March, marking only the second time in five years that he had fallen that low. After losing in the first round of the US Open, he nearly slipped out of the top 20, falling to No. 18.

Following that loss, Medvedev made a major decision. He ended his long partnership with coach Gilles Cervara and hired Thomas Johansson. The move signaled a reset and suggested that Medvedev wanted a new direction in training and match preparation.

The shift produced immediate improvements. Medvedev won the ATP 250 event in Almaty, showing more confidence and consistency. He then backed that run up with consecutive semifinal finishes in Beijing and Shanghai, two high-value events. These late results lifted him to No. 13 by the end of the season.

Former player Mansour Bahrami sees that resurgence as a strong signal. He stated, “Daniil has been a lot better at the end of the year. He’s been No. 1 in the world, he’s a great player, and he’s been there for the past 10 years. I think he’ll be back in the top 10 for sure, and I have no doubt about that.”

Now a new season is approaching. The question is straightforward: can the former US Open champion push back into the top 10 this year?