“Don’t be surprised if Sinner loses”: Daniil Medvedev challenges dominance narrative in Rome

Daniil Medvedev used his Rome Open press conference to directly challenge the growing perception that world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is approaching untouchable status, insisting that even the most dominant players remain vulnerable over the course of a season defined by narrow margins.

The former US Open champion framed his current clay-court swing as a process of adjustment rather than transformation. His run in Rome has come despite an uneven start to the surface season, marked by both heavy defeats and controlled recoveries.

Medvedev reached the quarter-finals after a walkover in his opening round (Tomas Machac withdrew after injury), followed by victories over Pablo Llamas Ruiz (3-6, 6-4, 6-2) and Thiago Tirante (6-3, 6-2). He now faces Martin Landaluce for a place in the semi-finals.

A potential semi-final would likely bring a clash with either Andrey Rublev or Sinner, giving immediate relevance to his comments on dominance, pressure, and perceived inevitability at the top of men’s tennis.

Medvedev opened by revisiting his difficult Monte Carlo campaign, using it as a reference point for how different types of defeats affect his recovery process and training decisions during the clay season.

The discussion also revisited one of his most dramatic recent defeats, when he suffered a 0-6, 0-6 loss to Matteo Berrettini and reacted by smashing his racquet multiple times in a match that lasted under an hour, later receiving a €6,000 ATP fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“Monte Carlo was tough. You can lose matches 6-3 6-3 and then you understand that the next day you need to work on your forehand, your backhand, your movement on clay or something else. But if you lose 6-0 6-0, you must relax, recover, and simply try to perform better next time.”

“In Madrid I played three good matches, including the one I lost against Flavio. In Monte Carlo I had no energy. Normally, when I want to break my racket, it is something I decide consciously. In the Principality, however, I did not want to do it. I thought it might give me a boost, but it didn’t happen (laughter, editor’s note). Even after the match, I thought I should not have done it. The best thing I could do, and what I did after that defeat, was to put the racket aside for a few days.”

The central theme of Medvedev’s press conference was a direct challenge to the idea that Sinner’s current level represents near-certainty across tournaments. While acknowledging the Italian’s consistency, he insisted that elite tennis does not eliminate variability.

He pointed to the fact that even dominant players rarely maintain peak level indefinitely, and that matchups and conditions remain decisive at the highest level of the sport. “There is always a chance to beat Sinner, more or less. But lately he rarely has a bad day. Carlos and Novak can keep up with him. I have played him at Indian Wells, but never on clay. If Jannik loses, don’t be surprised; that is sport.”

The framing also connects to Medvedev’s own trajectory in Rome, where he has advanced despite acknowledging discomfort on clay, including his only clay-court title coming in 2023 Rome Open – defeating Holger Rune in the final.

Medvedev also addressed external influences affecting matches, particularly crowd behaviour and the presence of betting-related reactions in stadium environments. He distinguished between general fan atmosphere and more problematic forms of engagement linked to gambling.

While acknowledging that Rome’s environment remained largely positive, he noted that certain spectator behaviours can cross boundaries and affect match conditions, even if not decisively altering outcomes.

“The problem is distinguishing between spectators who may have had too much to drink and are excited, and those who drink and have bet. The latter are the worst case. In these cases there is nothing that can be done. Sports betting is an established reality: it generates money, and sports, tournaments and players want that money."

“Spectators are always expected to be respectful to both players. I have seen some matches where the limits seemed to have been crossed. Personally, in the match I played, I did not feel too much disturbance in that sense. There were some Spanish fans making noise with horns. But the overall atmosphere was very fun.”

The broader takeaway from Medvedev’s remarks is consistent with his central message in Rome: elite tennis remains fundamentally unstable. Even dominant players like Sinner operate within margins that can shift rapidly, reinforcing his view that no outcome at the top level should be considered guaranteed.