Indian Wells :World number two Jannik Sinner has praised Daniil Medvedev’s return to top form ahead of their title clash at the Indian Wells Masters on Sunday.
Sinner, who defeated Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-4 in the semi-finals, said the Russian has looked sharper and more aggressive this season. Medvedev secured his place in the final after beating world number one Carlos Alcaraz.
“He’s back to a very high level. Very big serve, I feel like. He’s returning very well, very deep,” Sinner told reporters.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, struggled in 2025, failing to progress beyond the second round at any Grand Slam and winning just one title in Almaty. However, he has enjoyed a strong start to 2026, claiming titles in Brisbane International and the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Sinner and Medvedev have faced each other 15 times on the ATP Tour, with the Italian holding a narrow 8-7 advantage in their head-to-head record.
Their upcoming meeting will be the first since the ATP Finals in 2024, when Sinner secured his third consecutive win over the Russian.
“Daniil has found a good balance on court, winning a title in Dubai and coming here with great results,” Sinner said.
The Italian, who has reached his first final at Indian Wells, is chasing his first title of the year.
“Of course, the next one will be a very tough test, but I’m extremely happy,” Sinner added. “We have improved this week, in this tournament, and that for me was the most important part.”
