Daniil Medvedev: Chris Evert says 'mischievous little bad boy' is 'great for the game' ahead of Miami Open
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Published 24/03/2023 at 09:46 GMT
Daniil Medvedev had an eventful time at Indian Wells as he made the final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz and also went on several rants about the "slow" court conditions. Chris Evert has said that Medvedev is "wonderful to watch" and is "great for the game". Former world No. 1 Evert also said she thinks Alcaraz's success will force players like Medvedev to raise their games.
'We're seeing a new, higher level of tennis' - Evert on Alcaraz brilliance
Chris Evert believes Daniil Medvevev “adds a lot of personality” to tennis and has described the former world No. 1 as a “mischievous little bad boy”.
Medvedev won 19 matches in a row over the last two months before losing in the Indian Wells final to Carlos Alcaraz.
Almost as memorable as his run to the final in Indian Wells were his continued complaints about the “slow” court surface.
Medvedev went on several rants during matches about the conditions, and after losing to Alcaraz joked he had a “toxic relationship” with the courts.
“I love him,” former world No. 1 Evert told Eurosport’s Arnold Montgault. “I think he's very charismatic. I thought he spoke very eloquently, and he speaks very well.
"He's very likeable - he's like a little kid on the court sometimes when he's like a mischievous little bad boy.
“But I think it adds a lot of personality to the game of tennis, and he's not afraid to wear his personality or his heart on his sleeve. I think it's good to have all those varieties.
“His game is wonderful to watch. At times, you can't believe the shots that he pulls out of the hat. He's very unpredictable in his shot-making. He's got the power and he's got the movement.”
Medvedev was aiming for his fourth title of the year at Indian Wells but was beaten in straight sets by Alcaraz, who returned to world No. 1 with the win.
Medvedev said afterwards that he had “no real reasons” to explain the result but was pleased overall with an “amazing” week.
Evert added: “He's going to go back to the drawing board probably after this past match at Indian Wells and try to figure out another kind of game plan for Carlos, but his hands were tied. There's really nothing he could do.
“I think he's great for the game. I'm a fan of his.”
Alcaraz will be looking to win back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 titles at the Miami Open, where he is defending champion.
While the 19-year-old looks to be the future of the sport at the moment, Evert thinks others could raise their game in response.
"I think he will bring the level up of Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev and the players that are going to be the new leaders in the men's game," she said.
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"I think Carlos will improve their game because they're going to have to play better than their best when they play him if they want to beat him. He's not unbeatable by any means, but at his best, he is.
“I almost think it's like when Serena Williams dominated the women's game and she was playing at her best, there was no way that anybody could beat her. And if she was a little off, that's when the players could beat her.
“So I'm looking at that when he's at his best, it's on his racquet. Carlos, it's on his racquet, and how he plays, I think more so than on the other guy's racquet. But I think there will come a time...I lost to Martina [Navratilova] 13 times in a row, and she was at that time, unbeatable, invincible, but I finally did something different.
“I think the current players will have to play out of the box, so to speak, play out of their comfort zone, and they're going to have to take more chances and more risks. And that's why I say I think Carlos will improve their game because they're going to have to play better than their best when they play him if they want to beat him.
“Everybody's human. Nobody's perfect. And Carlos is going to have some bad days.”
Medvedev opens in Miami against either Bernabe Zapata Miralles or Roberto Carballes Baena. He can’t face Alcaraz until the final.
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