Daniil Medvedev gave Jannik Sinner a high form of praise after his defeat in the Six Kings Slam.
The Russian faced the World number one for the second time in six days at the blockbuster exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.
But for the eighth time in nine meetings, Medvedev came second best against the Italian and this was one of the most convincing scorelines.
Daniil Medvedev lost 0-6, 3-6 in just 68 minutes as he had no answer to Jannik Sinner‘s excellent level of play in Riyadh.
Who does Daniil Medvedev think is the better player out of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
Medvedev has played both Sinner and Alcaraz on multiple occasions over the past three seasons.
He has had struggles playing against both, but he previously thought Carlos Alcaraz was better than Sinner when the Spaniard was at his very best.
But after his latest match against Sinner, the World number five has changed his mind. “I’ve never played anyone who played like Jannik today,” he told reporters after exiting the Six Kings Slam.
“Usually when we compare Carlos to Jannik I would think of Jannik as more consistent, more like a machine, and Carlos a bit more up and down with the flair.
“But when Carlos is on top of his game, I would consider that he is a bit better. But today I changed my opinion. I have never played someone who played like Jannik today. If it wasn’t an ace, the ball was coming back.
“I missed some easy shots because at the beginning of the match, I was not missing them but I was receiving passing shots. So then you have this ball and you know you have to go for more and you start to doubt yourself and panic and you miss.
“It was a tough feeling on the court because I was feeling good, fighting good, my tennis was not so bad and I lost easily. I don’t remember the last time that happened to me.”
What is Daniil Medvedev’s head-to-head record against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
Medvedev has played a combined total of 22 matches against Alcaraz and Sinner.
Of the eight matches he has played against the Spaniard, he has emerged victorious on just two occasions, and lost the last four.
Medvedev has played Sinner on 14 occasions, and initially he had Sinner’s number as he won their first six contests.
But Sinner now dominates and has levelled the rivalry at seven wins apiece with his Shanghai Masters victory on October 10.
