Bill Simons
When Daniil Medvedev won the 2021 US Open, he fell to the ground and offered an inventive, if studied, FIFA dead fish celebration. The gesture drew high marks for its originality, but it was hardly ecstatic or spontaneous.
Aging tennis players, like-war weary NBA veterans, can become a bit jaded. After traveling the world for years, career fatigue often sets in – just ask Venus Williams. But not for this 29-year-old Russian.
After Arthur Fils botched a volley in his third-set tiebreak to hand the Russian a hard-earned 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7) win, Daniil leapt high four times to the Indian Wells skies. He beamed and raised his hands to the heavens in pure elation. It was one of the most joyous moments of the season.
Medvedev admitted that after months of indifferent play and having not made it to a final all year, his win was a huge confidence booster. He said that if he’d lost, he would have been crying in the locker room.
Last year, Fils drew attention for having the fastest forehand in the game. Today, the Frenchman played with surprising variety. “He’s showing us a beguiling mix of power and finesse, and the willingness to come to net,” said Brett Haber. Jim Courier added, “It’s easy for players to go for the sugar high of simply hitting with power. Fils is going for meat and potatoes.”
Often, the Parisian frustrated Medvedev. “Even the tennis octopus runs out of tentacles sometimes,” said Haber. If Medvedev beats Dane Holger Rune, he could face Carlos Alcaraz for the third straight time in the Indian Wells final.
POPCORN LINE-UP: Friday’s women’s semis will feature a battle between two of the most powerful players in the game, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 5 Madison Keys, and two of the fastest speedsters, No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 9 Mirra Andreeva. En route to her Dubai title a few weeks ago, Andreeva beat Swiatek. Keys beat Sabalenka in January’s compelling Aussie Open final.
AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD US: As for Mirra Andreeva becoming No. 1 in the world, we feel it’s a matter of when, not if. The 17-year old, who’s the youngest player still at Indian Wells, beat the oldest woman in the draw, Elina Svitolina, 7-5, 6-3. It was only the second time in 11 matches, since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, that Svitolina has lost to a Russian.
BEST SPEECH OF THE YEAR: After winning the Dubai Open, Mirra Andreeva tapped into her inner Snoop Dogg, telling the crowd, “I want to thank me for always believing in me, and never quitting and always dealing with the pressure, and I want to thank myself for that.”
KING CARLOS: No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz, who’s seeking his third straight Indian Wells title, came from a break down in the second set to down Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, the world No. 26, 6-3, 7-6(6). He’ll next play Jack Brady who he beat at the Aussie Open.
FAREWELL FEINSTEIN: John Feinstein, who, like Arthur Ashe and Sally Jenkins, wrote for the Washington Post, died today at 69. The insightful author wrote many books, including his landmark tennis volume, “Hard Courts,” which chronicled 33 tournaments in 1990. Tennis-wise, he was at his peak during the Agassi and Sampras era. He once reported that, after Andre had lost a match in Vermont, he charged off the court and ordered Nick Bollettieri to “Fire Fritz,” his chaplain.
Feinstein once wrote, “Personality in tennis seems to be based on wearing strange-looking clothes, screaming at umpires or having movie stars follow you around calling you a Zen Master. Let’s stop thinking hairstyle determines personality.” John had his own radio talk show on CBS, and wrote extraordinary books on Tiger Woods and basketball coach Bobby Knight.
KEYS SAYS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Belinda Bencic was taking down one considerable Floridian after another. In her first match, it was Amanda Animisova, and yesterday Coco Gauff. But the streaking Madison Keys, the last American standing in Indian Wells, said, “Enough is enough.” Amidst fast winds, she quickly crushed Belinda 6-1, 6-1.
WINNING IS NEVER DULL: Keys was asked, “Is it getting boring, winning like this?” The Floridian who’s on a 16-match winning streak, didn’t blink, promptly replying, “No.”
LEFTY WARRIORS: In a battle between two powerful lefties, 22-year-old Ben Shelton and London’s Jack Draper, the Brit downed the only American man who was left in the draw.
FAST TAKE: Lindsay Davenport and Chandra Rubin agreed that Iga Swiatek is the fastest offensive player in the game, and Coco Gauff is the fastest defensive player.
NEWSFLASH: For the first time all tournament, a player (that would be Qinwen Zheng) managed to get three games off of Swiatek in a set.
HOPE NOT: The howling winds and low temperatures these days in the Coachella Valley bring to mind a recent comment by publisher Randy Walker: “Since it seems to be always rather chilly at night at the BNP Paribas Open, would it be better if they switched dates with the Miami Open?”
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT: Man, woman, player, coach, or broadcaster – Aryna Sabalenka has the best giggle in tennis. Mary Carillo has the best cackle.
IGA’S READER’S DIGEST: Iga Swiatek is the most voracious reader in the WTA since Andrea Petkovic. So, Inside Tennis asked her, if she were going to be stuck on an island, what two books she’d take. The Pole replied she’d want “Gone With the Wind” and Ken Follett’s books – probably the whole series. The Welsh writer is known for his compelling thrillers.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Come on! Alcaraz would make it!” – Aryna Sabalenka, on what she’d said to herself as she tried to retrieve a tough shot from Liudmila Samsonova in her quarterfinal match, which she won 6-2, 6-3.
BEST SUNSETS IN TENNIS: Often at Indian Wells, you get fabulous sunsets – the best on the circuit. But, now that the moon’s almost full, we’re getting plenty of lunar beauty, too.
BEST PRESS ROOM IN TENNIS: Indian Wells – you can look right out onto the action, and it’s close to the interview room.
ROLLING THE DICE: Las Vegas’ Asia Muhammad and The Netherlands’ Demi Schuurs took out top-seeded doubles team Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniakova 10-8 in the super tiebreaker, to make the Saturday final. Muhammad will be looking to equal her career best win, having won the Cincy Masters title last year.
SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE: Few players are more adept on social media than Coco Gauff. The Floridian said that when it comes to texting, Chris Eubanks and Desirae Krawczyk are the best. The worst, she says, are Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton.
IGA BY THE BAY: The other day, Iga Swiatek spoke about how, before Indian Wells, she was so thrilled about going to a Golden State Warriors game. She gushed that the Bay Area is beautiful – and she loved the Golden Gate Bridge. The Pole added, “I stayed next to Fisherman’s Wharf, so I ate a lot of good seafood. I went to the places where all the musicians stayed, like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.” That would be Haight-Ashbury, which is still remembered for its Summer of Love.
