After winning the title at Indian Wells, Jannik Sinner paid tribute to Medvedev: “It is necessary for tennis”
Article by Mihai Șovei – Published Monday, March 16, 2026, 09:37 / Updated Monday, March 16, 2026 09:37
Jannik Sinner (24 years old, #2 ATP) got a historic victory against Daniil Medvedev (30, 11th ATP) at Indian Wells, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4), thus completing his list of major tournaments won on hard. After the match, the Italian tennis player praised, during the press conference, the level of play of the Russian player.
He emphasized that he is happy to see his opponent playing at this level, considering that he is a necessary player in the ATP circuit.
Jannik Sinner: “Medvedev has a unique style of play. It's great to see him again at this level”
Sinner had to work hard to beat Medvedev in two tense tie-breaks, further proving that Medvedev's level of play is approaching that which propelled him to the top of world tennis.
“Yes, the feeling is incredible, a great achievement. Today's match was very difficult, so I am extremely happy with the way we handled the situation on the pitch. It's great to see Daniil back and playing at this level. I think he plays fantastic tennis. He had a lot of confidence after winning a few titles this year, and he played very well here as well.
We must not forget that he is a Grand Slam champion, and that says a lot. He played fantastic tennis, served very well, and I had a hard time returning, especially on his second serve. I think tennis needs him. He has a very unique play style. It's great to see him at this level again. It's making a lot of progress. He is a very aggressive player and has two different playing styles when serving and returning. It's great for the sport that he's back and playing at this level,” said Jannik Sinner, according to tennishead.net.
Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells
The Italian also spoke about the weather conditions during the tournament.
Yes, it was hot, but it wasn't humid, which makes a big difference. But, forget it, I was here a week before the tournament started. Conditions were very similar to today. I had very long training days. I felt very well prepared, so I didn't have any major problems with the weather and the heat, which is very positive for me. This is all part of the process we try to implement to become the best athletes possible.
– Jannik Sinner
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Following his triumph in the California desert, the Italian now holds titles at all six Masters tournaments played on hard, joining Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in a select club.
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Jannik also recorded his 100th victory in the 1000 category tournaments and, in his first final, captured the first trophy at Indian Wells.
VIDEO with the summary of the most important moments from the Sinner – Medvedev final
