Medvedeva's service: who is the favorite of the tennis tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami

In March, the United States will host the most prestigious tennis tournaments after the Australian Open. Given that the disqualified doping ranking leader Yannick Sinner does not participate in them, the Indian Wells and Miami Masters open up good opportunities for players from the top ten. Among those who are expected to perform feats on overseas courts are Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who started the year with a serious gaming crisis.

Waiting for a successful grid

Daniil Medvedev, after an insulting defeat by Tallon Grixpor in the quarterfinals in Dubai, where he missed four matchballs, goes to the overseas Masters, where he has 1,150 points to defend. Last year, the Russian first reached the finals, losing to Carlos Alcaraz (during the BNP Paribas Open, he beat Carballes-Baena, Korda, Dimitrov, Rune and Paul), and 11 days later he lost in the semifinals to Yannick Sinner (in Miami, Daniil was stronger than Fuchovich, Norrie, Koepfer and Harry).

Then Daniel was seeded at number three and therefore received a relatively simple grid in Miami. It's unlikely to work that way this time. All the top teams plan to play at the super tournaments in the United States, with the exception of the disqualified Runner-up, and Medvedev will be the fifth seed. The most important thing is that the leader of Russian tennis is so unstable this season that you can expect anything from him.

After a sensational defeat in the second round by Lerner Tien (the American also passed Alexander Zverev in Mexico City at the end of February) Daniil was unable to compete for victory at tournaments in Rotterdam (second round), Marseille (semifinals), Doha (quarterfinals) and Dubai (quarterfinals). Although he was the first seed in France and the UAE. "Overall, I'm happy with my level in recent tournaments," Medvedev said after his defeat in Dubai. "I'm gradually getting in shape."

Daniel explained the defeat from Grixpor by a problem with the balls. "I don't understand why the ATP tournaments don't change the balls after the fifth and then after every seventh game (now they change them for the first time after the seventh game, and then after every ninth). It's just unbearable." Let's hope that Daniil won't have any questions about the ATP at the American series, as he needs to play as well as possible in order not to fall out of the top ten.

There will be no such pressure on Andrey Rublev. Last year, the Olympic champion won just one match at two American spring Masters. In Indian Wells, he was stopped in the second round by Jiri Legechka, and in Miami, the Russian lost in the first round to another Czech tennis player, Tomas Makhach.

Andrey took the title in Doha this year (where he played at an incredible level), and then lost in the first round to Kantin Alice in the UAE, and went to prepare for Indian Wells. In 2022, Andrey played in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open. It would be good to repeat this result. Firstly, it is important for the championship race, and secondly, for maintaining self-confidence on the hard court. "I am glad that I have returned to my level. I'm playing better and better every week. I keep increasing my concentration. I didn't have any results at the beginning of the season, but I knew I was doing everything right. I'm glad that I can show it with my game, I found this way."

Karen Khachanov doesn't have to defend his points at Indian Wells either, last year he lost in the first round to Tiaga Zaibot Wild. But in Miami, the third racket of Russia reached the 1/8 finals. This year, he is quite capable of improving the overall result. Khachanov showed good tennis in Qatar and the UAE, but lost in hard-fought matches to Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, respectively.

It should be noted that Reilly Opelka, Nishesh Basavareddi, Tristan Boyer, Mackenzie McDonald and, perhaps, the main opening of the season, Joao Fonseca received wild cards for the men's tournament.

Chances for Myrrh

Among the women, Belinda Bencic, Sloane Stephens, Robin Montgomery, Alicia Parks, Bernarda Pera, Iva Jovic and Caroline Doulhide entered the main draw by special invitation. As for the losses of the "thousandth", Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will not play in it. The Russian woman has not recovered from the viral infection she picked up in Australia, and hopes to perform in Miami. Barbora Krejcikova, the winner of two singles tournaments, who has not competed on the tour since November last year, will also miss the tournament. Her last tournament was the final one, where she lost in the semifinals.

But the other leaders of the women's tour will come to the USA. From Arina Sobolenko and the current champion Igi Sventek to last year's finalist Maria Sakkari and the winner of 2023 Elena Rybakina. The latter is going through a difficult period due to the strange situation with Stefano Vukov. The Croatian coach has been suspended by the WTA for a year, but apparently continues to help Elena prepare for tournaments (perhaps this is one of the reasons for the quick breakup of the Kazakh tennis player with Goran Ivanisevich).

This season, Elena has reached the semifinals twice in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. At the end of February, Rybakina was stopped by Mirra Andreeva, who then took her first "thousandth". Last year, Mirra lost in the 1/64 finals to Katie Volynets. There are good chances to perform much better this year. After Dubai, Andreeva Jr. took a break and was preparing for Indian Wells.

Among the Russian women, Elena Vesnina won the Indian Wells Super Tournament (she beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 2017 final), Maria Sharapova twice (she beat Caroline Wozniacki in the 2013 final, Elena Dementieva in 2006) and Vera Zvonareva (in the final In 2009, she was stronger than Ana Ivanovich). Are we waiting for the fourth champion this year?