Daniil Medvedev chimes in on new court surface at Indian Wells - "They almost seem slower than before"

With the Indian Wells tournament kicking off on Wednesday, several top-ranked tennis stars will compete for the chance to capture one of the most popular events of the season.

Branded as the "fifth Grand Slam", the fan-favorite event has seen various champions ranging from Jimmy Connors to the big three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion, and the former World No.1 will have a huge target on his back, with Daniil Medvedev, the man he defeated on both occasions lurking in the shadows.

The tournament organizers announced the introduction of a new surface, starting at this year's event.

"Laykold will bring a new dynamic to the event, guaranteeing ATP and WTA players an optimal playing environment to give their best," read a statement by the Indian Wells directors. "The Laykold courts offer 10 times more consistency than the accepted industry standard."

There has been a mixed response to the news, with reports claiming that the surface played slower than what players have become accustomed to. After one of his training sessions in the desert, Medvedev was asked for his opinion on the new court surface.

"I'll be honest, I like Indian Wells, I even like the courts now, but they almost seem slower than before, very slow," said the former World No.1. "I don't know what other players think, but I just had two days of jet lag. So I can't tell you I'm sure of what I'm saying. But, yeah, I played two days, and they seemed very, very slow, so let's see how it goes during the tournament."

The Russian has had a rough start to the 2025 ATP season, including a second round upset to rising American teenager Learner Tien. However, Medvedev remains confident and hops to improve as the year progresses.

"It's not just about playing at your best level, but also about getting the results you're used to," admitted the fifth seed. "At the same time, tennis is a sport where you have to keep working. As I said, my level was rising. You have to keep going. I'm here in Indian Wells, so the start of the season wasn't like usual, but I'm going to try to win the tournament.
"If not, it's Miami. If not, on clay. I'm going to keep going, I'm going to keep working. As I said, this situation bothers me, but I'm going to keep going."