Daniil Medvedev explained that there was one ritual he always had to follow (Image: Getty)
Daniil Medvedev is the fourth seed in Indian Wells this fortnight.
Daniil Medvedev has opened up on the “crazy” rituals of tennis players, admitting that he had one rigid routine that he followed before every match. The world No. 4 is back in action in Indian Wells after reaching the final 12 months ago. And he explained how he channelled his madness into winning matches.
Daniil Medvedev got off to a winning start in Indian Wells, needing just 87 minutes to see off Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2 6-3 on Saturday night. The Russian is looking to go one better in the Californian desert this year as he reached the championship match last time, losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
Ahead of the tournament, the 20-time title winner explained the importance of tics for tennis players. Although Medvedev is pretty flexible when it comes to switching up his routines, he admitted there was one thing he always had to keep the same and couldn’t do even one second too late.
“I have many routines. They are very important to me. But you also have to change them from time to time. Otherwise, they won’t work anymore,” the 28-year-old told Clay Tenis. One thing that does work for Medvedev, however, is his eating habits.
He explained: “I eat exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes before my matches. Always. It can’t be a second earlier or later. A tick. I don’t change these things. Other things, like training before a match, I sometimes adjust.”
And it’s not just Medvedev who goes “crazy” with pre-match patterns. The world No. 4 added: “We tennis players are crazy. Everyone has routines and lives them out. The question is: How can you use this craziness, this madness, these many quirks to your advantage so that you win matches? That’s what drives me.”
For the most part, Medvedev has been successful in using it to win matches. He started the year on a high by reaching the Australian Open final – his sixth Major final. But he blew a two-set lead over Jannik Sinner, failing to get his hands on the trophy.
It was the second time Medvedev lost a championship match in Melbourne after leading by two sets, as the same happened in 2022 against Rafael Nadal. But the former world No. 1 wasn’t too disheartened by his performance against Sinner.
“In the analysis after the lost final, we noted that I probably didn’t do much wrong. It was just about a few points. I left Australia with a good feeling. It took me two days to get over it,” he said.
