Daniil Medvedev has made a strong start to 2026, getting back to winning ways.
Last year was a tough one for the Russian, managing just a single Grand Slam match win across all four majors.
But he’s turned things around in early 2026, picking up titles at both the Brisbane International and the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Just last week, Medvedev continued his strong form by reaching the Indian Wells final, taking down Jack Draper and Carlos Alcaraz along the way.
Fans were hoping for more from him in the final but he lost out in straight sets to Jannik Sinner, 6-7, 6-7.
The bigger question now is whether he’s climbed back into the top three on Tour. Has Medvedev done enough recently to be seen as one of the elite again?
Sam Querrey backs Daniil Medvedev as the third best player on Tour
On the Nothing Major podcast, Sam Querrey gave his thoughts on Medvedev’s recent form and where he stands among the top players. The former world number nine didn’t hesitate to put Medvedev right behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the current pecking order.
“Is Medvedev the third best player in the world right now? I think he is,” Querrey said. “I know it’s recency bias, but on the Querrey big board he’s the number three player in the world right now.”
Johnson took a different view, highlighting Djokovic’s consistency even as he gets older. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is still ranked third on Tour, with Zverev just behind him at fourth.
“I get why, but I have to put Novak at three,” Johnson explained. “His body of work at his age against these young guys, making every semi and final of a Slam. I still think it’s a toss up between Sascha and Meddy, so I would give Meddy no worse than five.”
Following Indian Wells, Medvedev moved back into the ATP top-10, giving him momentum heading into Miami. With an early exit from Miami last year, he has plenty of ranking points to gain this time around.
Medvedev looks to capitalise on Miami chance
Daniil Medvedev heads into the Miami Masters with a significant opportunity to make up ground in the ATP rankings.
Currently ranked 10th in the world with 3,610 points, the Russian sits within striking distance of several players above him — including Ben Shelton (3,860), Felix Auger-Aliassime (4,000), Taylor Fritz (4,170), Alex de Minaur (4,185), and Lorenzo Musetti (4,365).
At the top of the rankings, Carlos Alcaraz leads with 13,550 points, followed by Jannik Sinner (11,400) and Novak Djokovic (5,370), highlighting the gap Medvedev is aiming to close.
Having earned just 30 points at the Miami Open last year, Medvedev has minimal points to defend in Florida. This leaves him with the chance to gain up to 970 points with a title run.
Should he go all the way, Medvedev could surge back toward the top five, depending on results elsewhere — making Miami a pivotal tournament in shaping his position early in the season.
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