Despite falling to Jannik Sinner in the BNP Paribas Open final, Daniil Medvedev leaves Indian Wells with plenty to celebrate. The 30-year-old racked up a tour-leading 18 wins and stunned World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals, snapping the Spaniard’s flawless 16-match start to the season. And after the loss, Medvedev bluntly addressed whether he believes he can now consistently challenge Sinner and Alcaraz on the tour.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, the former World No. 1 shared his thoughts about challenging the sport’s top names. “Tough to say, because I lost a lot of matches against them, and I did lose again today against Jannik. I know that I can be a good tennis player, and I will try my best to be, whoever is on the other side of the net.”

He stressed that his focus remains on improving his own level rather than targeting specific opponents. “Maybe it’s Carlos and Jannik, maybe it’s someone else, I will just try to play some good tennis, which I proved I can do again here, Dubai, Brisbane. So that’s my goal.”

The Russian also pointed out that many players on the ATP Tour are capable of challenging the top stars. He referenced surprising results from recent tournaments to explain his point.

For example, Sinner was beaten by Jakub Mensik in Doha. Medvedev himself also defeated Alcaraz during his strong run in Indian Wells.

Because of such results, Medvedev believes it is unfair to single out one challenger to the top two players. He explained that many elite players can compete with them on the right day.

“I think it’s not right to say it’s only me or only Novak or whatever, only Sascha. But it’s definitely very tough, and that’s why, when you come to the end of the season, usually they have, like what, 60 wins, and I don’t know, 5, 6 losses, out of which four come from themselves, as well. So it’s not an easy challenge.”

Despite losing the final to Sinner, Medvedev leaves Indian Wells with strong confidence. His performance showed that he can still compete deep into major tournaments.

The Russian also returned to the Top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time since July. His recent results highlight a strong comeback season. Medvedev began the year with a title in Brisbane and followed it with another triumph in Dubai. Those victories built momentum before arriving in Indian Wells.

Interestingly, Medvedev was trying to become the first player since Novak Djokovic at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023 to beat both Alcaraz and Sinner in the same event. The challenge underlined the dominance of the two young stars.

“I’m happy that this tournament I played good enough to beat all the other guys first, and then even good enough to beat Carlos, and then to face Jannik. That’s going to be my goal, not focus on them too much exactly, but focus on improving myself, improving my game, trying to beat all the other guys.”

Medvedev also explained that reaching later rounds increases the chances of meeting players like Sinner or Alcaraz. That is why consistency remains his biggest target.

“Whenever you have Carlos and Jannik in the tournament, there is a big chance you’re going to meet one of them in the semis, and if you play unbelievably, then one of them in the final. So that’s a goal, and that’s what I’m going to try to continue doing.”

The Russian also reflected on the emotional contrast between his semifinal win and the final defeat. Beating Alcaraz meant a lot to him personally.

“To beat Carlos yesterday feels like a win of the tournament, especially for me. I lost a lot against him.”

“But that’s not the reality. There is a final to play. I had my opportunity, a small opportunity in the first set. A bit bigger opportunity in the tie-break in the second. But at the same time, I was hanging by not big margins in the whole set. So it is what it is. It’s like a bittersweet feeling where it feels good to do what I did this week.”

And later, Jannik Sinner also praised Daniil Medvedev’s resurgence, sharing his thoughts on the Russian’s impressive level and strong all-around game.

Jannik Sinner shares thoughts on Daniil Medvedev’s fearless game at Indian Wells

Jannik Sinner also praised Daniil Medvedev after their final at the BNP Paribas Open. Although Sinner won the match without breaking the 11th seed’s serve, he acknowledged Medvedev’s impressive return to form.

The Italian highlighted how well Medvedev has been playing this season. He also pointed out the confidence the Russian has built after winning multiple titles earlier in the year.

“I feel like he’s playing great, great tennis,” Sinner said of Medvedev. “He was very confident, already winning a couple of titles this year, coming here and then performing very, very well.”

Sinner also spoke about Medvedev’s importance to the sport. He praised the Russian’s unique playing style and his aggressive approach on court. “I do believe that tennis needs him. He’s a very unique style of playing. Seeing him back at this level, it’s great. He’s improving a lot. Very aggressive player at the end.”

Medvedev’s performance in Indian Wells also impressed Carlos Alcaraz. After losing to the Russian in the semifinals, the Spaniard admitted how strong Medvedev looked on court. “I have never seen Daniil playing like this,” he added yesterday.

Meanwhile, Sinner achieved a historic milestone during the tournament. The 24-year-old became the first man since 1990 to win consecutive Masters 1000 titles without dropping a set, following his dominant triumph at the Paris Masters last November.

With the tour now heading to the Miami Open and Novak Djokovic already withdrawn, the question remains whether Medvedev can challenge the top two seeds again and possibly reach another final.