Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev opened up on his uprising rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner saying it is always a "good challenge" to face these youngsters.
Medvedev, 28, has already been denied titles by Sinner and Alcaraz in the 2024 season as the Russian was defeated by the Italian in the Australian Open final and then by the Spaniard in the Indian Wells final.
The Russian will now begin his 2024 Miami Open campaign on March 22 and if the draw goes according to the rankings, Medvedev will once again lock horns with Sinner in the semi-final and then with Alcaraz in the final.
“I’m trying to catch them here and there,” Reuters quoted Medvedev as saying on Thursday in Miami. “But for me it’s always a good challenge when we have these young guys coming up, it makes you only better.
“The more I will play, the more young guys will come, and the more I’ll try to adapt my game and that’s what I’m trying to do right now."
Medvedev definitely has more experience on the Tour than his two new rivals but the Russian is aware of the threat they possess. The two stars compete with the Grand Slam winner off the court as well in terms of popularity.
Medvedev stated that for fans, it is not just about a player winning but how they present and conduct themselves also has an affect on their popularity.
“I think it’s in every sport when you play defensively, people want to see the shots,” said Medvedev. “As soon as Carlos came on the tour, he gained a lot of fans because he crushes the ball.
“For me, the result is the most important, it’s more important than to, let’s say, be beautiful on the court. When players can mix it up, it’s in my opinion even more beautiful.“