I don’t think anyone quite saw that one coming. 5th seed Daniil Medvedev was in vintage form in his round of 16 clash with Tommy Paul, taking down the versatile American 6-4, 6-0.
2025 ATP Tour
Masters 1000
Indian Wells Open
Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Quarterfinals- 13th March
Daniil Medvedev (5) 0.34 vs Arthus Fils (20) 2.2
Medvedev won 49% of his first-serve return points, confounding Paul with his deep court position. Medvedev hit 22 winners to 22 unforced errors in his most polished display of the season. The Russian started the season poorly, even flirting with the idea of retirement following his early exit in Rotterdam. But he has improved recently, reaching the quarterfinals in four straight events. A beaten finalist in the last two editions of this event, Medvedev has been one of the most outspoken critics of the sluggish court conditions. He has gone on record saying that the new surfaces are even slower this year (though that could be Medvedev being a contrarian). Still, these sluggish conditions allow him to sit back and make whatever adjustments are necessary on return.
20-year-old Frenchman Arthur Fils has been a real surprise package at this year’s championships. The mercurial talent had never previously gone past the 3rd round of a Masters 1000 event (and he hadn’t won back-to-back matches since reaching the 3rd round of this year’s Aussie Open). But he has taken advantage of a favourable draw, showing grit and determination to reach his maiden Masters quarterfinal. He eased past Diallo in his opener before surviving an absolute thriller against 15th seed Lorenzo Musetti (where he saved a match-point). He then survived another three-set epic against American Marcos Giron. Fils likes to play aggressive tennis, looking to pin down opponents with his serve and forehand. But he can be slightly overenthusiastic, hitting 45 unforced errors in his round of 16 win over Giron. He will need to become far more rally-resistant if he stands any chance against the crafty Russian.
The Verdict: Medvedev to win in straight sets at 0.87- Medvedev leads the head-to-head 1-0, beating the Frenchman in Vienna in 2023. This should be an easy win for Medvedev. He just played his best match of the season and has reached the final here in the last two seasons. Fils committed a litany of errors against Giron, suffering from bouts of inconsistency. Also, Medvedev is fresher after spending barely any time on court this fortnight. Fils survived an epic three-set tie yesterday and will be hard-pressed to match Medvedev’s energy.
