“I really started to love this tournament,” Daniil Medvedev said, a stark contrast to his early days at Indian Wells. Back then, mononucleosis sidelined him, and he struggled to find things to do off the court. Now, he’s back in the Californian desert, hoping to turn his luck around. And this is a place where he’s done well before. He was a finalist in the past two editions of the BNP Paribas Open. Now, the Russian tennis star wants to go one step further.

Back in 2022, Medvedev arrived at Indian Wells as the World number 1. It was a big moment. Fast forward three years, and he’s coming in as number 6. This season, his 8-5 record isn’t bad, but it’s not quite up to his usual standards. Across five tournaments so far, he’s made just one semifinal. His most recent defeat? A heartbreaker. He had four match points against Tallon Griekspoor in the Dubai quarterfinals, only to lose 6-2, 6-7(7), 5-7. That kind of loss stings.

But the 29-year-old tennis player isn’t one to dwell. He’s coming into Indian Wells refreshed and ready to make his mark. “I’m here to win Indian Wells,” he declared in his pre-tournament presser. ”I can’t tell you if I’m sure of what I’m saying. I came here to win, if I don’t succeed I’ll try in Miami or on clay”.

That’s Medvedev for you—straight to the point. He knows things haven’t been ideal, but he’s ready to push through. And it looks like he’s even enjoying himself in Indian Wells. “I discovered so many things to do here. I don’t like golf, but there is a crazy race circuit here, close by, the Thermal. It’s just unbelievable. So every time I try to go there at least once before the tournament. And then in case the tournament doesn’t work out well, I’m there every day. The first couple of years I stayed in the hotel. Now we have a house, and it’s just a nice feeling with the team. We play pool during the evenings. We cook. Yeah, just now I absolutely love coming here.”

Clearly, Medvedev’s mindset isn’t just about competing—it’s about adapting, both on and off the court. While he’s found new ways to enjoy his time in Indian Wells, he’s also noticing a shift where it matters most: the playing conditions.

Daniil Medvedev gives his verdict on the new Indian Wells courts

Indian Wells has changed. After 25 years, the tournament has switched its hard court surface from Plexipave to Laykold, the same material used in Miami and the US Open. Some players have welcomed the change.

So, what does Medvedev have to say about this change? “I’ll be honest, I like Indian Wells, I even like the courts now, but they seem almost slower than before, very slow,” he said. “I don’t know what other players think, but I just had two days of jet lag. So I can’t tell you for sure what I’m saying. But, yes, I played for two days, and they seemed very, very slow, so we’ll see how it plays during the tournament. And I didn’t see the difference.”

For a player who thrives on pace, as he has dubbed himself “the hard-court specialist’, this change isn’t the most ideal. But surprisingly, the former US Open champion’s last title victory came at the 2023 Italian Open, a clay court. So, maybe he can adapt well here as well.

Medvedev’s season so far has been a story of near-misses from Dubai to Australia. But if there’s one thing he knows, it’s that momentum shifts fast. All it takes is one win, one breakthrough, and suddenly, the season looks different. Indian Wells is the perfect place to turn things around. He begins his tournament tomorrow against Yunchaokete Bu. So, can Daniil Medvedev finally end his title drought? What do you think?