‘Carlos Alcaraz tougher to face than Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’

Daniil Medvedev has faced the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but has declared that Carlos Alcaraz is the “toughest opponent I have faced”.

Medvedev and Alcaraz squared off for the seventh time in their careers in the 2024 Wimbledon semi-final and for the fifth time it was the Spaniard who came out on top as he won 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

In fact, the three-time Grand Slam winner has now won their last three encounters as he was also victorious in this year’s Indian Wells Open final and last year’s ATP Finals.

Many have compared Alcaraz to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic with some saying his game is a mixture of the three legends but Medvedev – who has faced all four players – sees it differently.

“The thing is I played big three when they were let’s call older, over 30. A bit different,” the former world No 1 said after the last-four defeat.

“They’re all different, all different in their own way, in their game. I feel like you can’t even, yeah, take something from one and compare to another.

“So Roger plays on the line. Hits beautiful technique shots, goes to the net. Novak plays also on the line, but completely different. Amazing defense, like pinball player where the ball comes so back faster to you. Rafa, completely different. He can stay ten meters behind, but he is going to run to every ball and banana shot, lefty.

“Carlos, I don’t think he has anything from them. It’s a different game style. I think where Carlos is different from many players, we all have a little bit of our preferences, someone prefers defence, someone prefers counterattack, someone prefers to be super aggressive. He can do all of it.

“He can sometimes slice, even bad slice, and then run and try to win like this. Then when you hit him many times, when guys do this, you can play with them. You can hit them the easy shot back, and they don’t want to attack, but that’s not Carlos. Hit him easy shot, you know it’s over for you. That what makes it tough.

“Probably in my career he’s the toughest opponent I have faced. But I have time, I have time to try to do better.”

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Alcaraz’s ability to get his racket to almost any ball has been key to his success over the past few years with Medvedev admitting you always have to be prepared to hit an extra shot.

“It makes you miss easy shots at the end. And that’s what I do many times. Not as fast as Carlos, but I try my best,” he said.

“The more you know the more your opponent hits a great shot or I hit a great shot against Carlos, and then suddenly you receive of a passing shot the next one. You’re going to try to hit it better. You’re going to doubt, am I going to go to the net or not?

“I remember there was particularly one, I hit a good smash, and he still made it. I had a very easy volley, but I overplayed it just a little bit. Yeah, because you are always questioning what’s the best shot, do I go almost for the line or not? It’s not easy to play such players.

“Again, that’s why we also see so many highlights of him because, yeah, that’s what he does.”