By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, March 6, 2024
A mirage maker on court docket, Daniil Medvedev confronted desert deception in his Indian Wells return this week.
“First day I got here right here I suppose there was a sandstorm the day earlier than I arrived so I went on heart court docket it was lightning quick and I used to be like ‘Whoah, shocking I adore it’,” Medvedev informed the media in his BNP Paribas Open pre-tournament presser. “Then the following day it turned gradual. So let’s see.
“I’m positively not going guilty the court docket for something I do which suggests play dangerous or play good or lose or win. I’m gonna get pleasure from it right here. I adore it right here I’m gonna get pleasure from my time right here and attempt to lengthen it so long as attainable.”
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Branding himself a “onerous court docket specialist”, Medvedev spent bruising matches exploring his dysfunctional relationship with the purple Indian Wells court docket throughout his run to the 2023 remaining.
Medvedev withstood a sprained proper ankle and Alexander Zverev 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5 then fended off Frances Tiafoe for his nineteenth consecutive victory to achieve his maiden Indian Wells remaining falling to Carlos Alcaraz final March.
A distinction within the 2024 model of the artist referred to as Meddy Bear: Medvedev employed former nemesis Gilles Simon to affix long-time coach Gilles Cervara on his teaching staff.
Although Simon will not be in Indian Wells this week, he was in Dubai final month as Medvedev, in his first match since reaching the Australian Open remaining, reached the semifinal.
Whereas the pair haven’t any formal contract, Medvedev mentioned the plan is for Simon to journey about three months this season and he’s hopeful it will likely be a long-term partnership.
“We’re not gonna journey an excessive amount of however some tournaments right here and there in all probability one thing like 13 or 14 weeks on tour which isn’t a foul quantity,” Medvedev mentioned. “We didn’t repair something. We didn’t say: ‘We’re gonna work for one yr and see the way it goes?’ We see the way it goes and if tomorrow him or me says it doesn’t work out we cease.
“To date it has been working nice. He tries some extra issues. Should you take somebody it’s not simply to maintain it the way in which it’s, it’s so as to add some small particulars and we do attempt to add them. I’m certain it’s going to be fascinating to see them through the matches I did somethings already in Dubai, but it surely takes time it’s going to take time. It’s fascinating, I prefer it to date. Hopefully we are able to hold it collectively for fairly a very long time, however let’s see the way it goes.”
The 39-year-old Simon received three of 4 profession conferences in opposition to Medvedev, with the three victories approaching three completely different surfaces.
Former US Open champion Medvedev informed Tennis Now’s Chris Oddo, Simon’s success in opposition to him was a place to begin in pursuing the Frenchman as coach. Medvedev mentioned Simon’s court docket sense, analytical abilities and his potential to clarify precisely why issues are taking place on court docket had been all key parts of the rent.
“The precise story [of how we partnered] I’m gonna hold it to myself, it is a bit private,” Medvedev informed TN’s Chris Oddo. “At one second I used to be considering of including somebody to the staff, first to interchange Gilles Cervara when he’s not right here on the tour And I used to be like why if i wish to substitute him i wish to in all probability add somebody who may help me to turn into a greater participant on the court docket.
“I considered Gilles [Simon] as a result of he in some way knew the right way to play me. That is The factor: I hated to play him. As a result of after I’m on the court docket he knew what I’m gonna do and he knew the right way to beat me which I really feel prefer it’s not a simple activity. I managed to beat a whole lot of gamers so I used to be like no less than that’s the very first thing.”
Of their time working collectively, Medvedev mentioned he’s impressed by how nicely Simon articulates what he intuits on court docket.
“He can inform what he did and we are able to work on it. So if somebody performs precisely like him I’m going to know what to do and the way I can do higher in my weak spots,” Medvedev mentioned. “In order that was type of the primary factor about it. And for certain once we began working collectively I noticed he understands many many issues about tennis, which we—many tennis gamers—don’t give it some thought.
“I by no means considered it myself as somebody who thinks so much on the court docket. However truly a whole lot of that is extra feeling it, which can also be type of considering, however extra feeling it. He can clarify with phrases why he sees one factor on the tennis court docket which may be very robust and one thing in all probability most of tennis gamers can not do.”
Photograph credit score: Matthew Calvis
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