Chris Evert has described Daniil Medvedev as a ‘mischievous little bad boy’ after the Russian expressed his very overt disliking for the surfaces at this year Indian Wells.
Medvedev who not too impressed with the courts, termed them slow and was of the view that they were not actually hard courts, however he still managed to reach the final at the desert for the first time where he was eventually beaten by Carlos Alcaraz. The 27-year old who couldn’t extend his 19-match winning streak further in a speech describe his relationship with the courts as ‘toxic’.
Chris Evert while talking about the extremely talented Russian who also happens to be a polyglot, admitted that she is impressed by the ‘charism’ of the world no. 5. “I love him. I think he’s very charismatic. I thought he spoke very eloquently, as he speaks very well.”
She continued, “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. I think he’s great for the game. I’m a fan of his.”
It is not the first time that the Russian’s tongue has got others talking but the 18-time singles Grand Slam Champion was all praise for the extraordinary shot-making abilities of 2021 US Open Champion.
“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,” said Evert.
Medvedev was badly hurt and had his struggles after losing the 2022 AO final to Rafael Nadal when he was 2 sets up against the tenacious Spaniard, however he has been able to revive his mojo this year by claiming three titles in the start of 2023.
The former No. 1 is taking this momentum to the Miami where he will try to improve his previous b best record of successful quarter-final runs in 2021 and 2022.
As for his continued success in Miami, he has just defeated Roberto Carballes Baena for the second time in straight sets in the R64 tie, followed by a walkover against Alex Molcan. He will next face Quentin Halys in R16 for a third straight quarterfinal berth at the prestigious Masters 1000.