By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, March 6, 2024
A mirage maker on courtroom, 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 middle courtroom it was lightning quick and I used to be like ‘Whoah, stunning I adore it’,” Medvedev advised the media in his BNP Paribas Open pre-tournament presser. “Then the subsequent day it turned sluggish. So let’s see.
“I’m positively not going responsible the courtroom for something I do which suggests play unhealthy or play good or lose or win. I’m gonna take pleasure in it right here. I adore it right here I’m gonna take pleasure in my time right here and attempt to extend it so long as attainable.”
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Branding himself a “arduous courtroom specialist”, Medvedev spent bruising matches exploring his dysfunctional relationship with the purple Indian Wells courtroom throughout his run to the 2023 closing.
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 succeed in his maiden Indian Wells closing falling to Carlos Alcaraz final March.
A distinction within the 2024 model of the artist often called Meddy Bear: Medvedev employed former nemesis Gilles Simon to hitch long-time coach Gilles Cervara on his teaching workforce.
Although Simon isn’t in Indian Wells this week, he was in Dubai final month as Medvedev, in his first event since reaching the Australian Open closing, reached the semifinal.
Whereas the pair don’t have any formal contract, Medvedev stated the plan is for Simon to journey about three months this season and he’s hopeful it is going to 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 stated. “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.
“Up to now it has been working nice. He tries some extra issues. In case 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 in the course of the matches I did somethings already in Dubai, however it takes time it’s going to take time. It’s fascinating, I prefer it up to now. 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 totally different surfaces.
Former US Open champion Medvedev advised Tennis Now’s Chris Oddo, Simon’s success in opposition to him was a place to begin in pursuing the Frenchman as coach. Medvedev stated Simon’s courtroom sense, analytical expertise and his skill to elucidate precisely why issues are occurring on courtroom had been all key elements of the rent.
“The precise story [of how we partnered] I’m gonna hold it to myself, it is a bit private,” Medvedev advised TN’s Chris Oddo. “At one second I used to be considering of including somebody to the workforce, first to exchange 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 also help me to grow to be a greater participant on the courtroom.
“I considered Gilles [Simon] as a result of he in some way knew tips on how to play me. That is The factor: I hated to play him. As a result of after I’m on the courtroom he knew what I’m gonna do and he knew tips on how to beat me which I really feel prefer it’s not a simple activity. I managed to beat plenty of gamers so I used to be like at the least that’s the very first thing.”
Of their time working collectively, Medvedev stated he’s impressed by how effectively Simon articulates what he intuits on courtroom.
“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 stated. “In order that was form of the primary factor about it. And for certain after 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 lots on the courtroom. However truly plenty of that is extra feeling it, which can be form of considering, however extra feeling it. He can clarify with phrases why he sees one factor on the tennis courtroom which may be very robust and one thing in all probability most of tennis gamers can’t do.”
Photograph credit score: Matthew Calvis
