Indian Wells: Few fans, and now no Medvedev

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — “It’s quarter to three, there’s no one in the place except you and me…” Yes, Sinatra, about the end of a brief episode.

Now it’s quarter to three on a Wednesday, and while there were more than you and me at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, it didn’t seem like many more.

Maybe 1,500 people were scattered about the 16,100-seat Stadium 1, other than Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York the largest tennis facility in the world.

It was a classic autumn afternoon in the California desert, 78 degrees, and while the match that just finished wasn’t classic, it was interesting — and surprising.

Grigor Dimitrov, waking up the echoes, upset the No. 1 seed, and winner of the recent U.S. Open, Daniil Medvedev, 4-6, 6-4. 6-3.

Not a good tournament for Medvedev, struggling to get atop the rankings over Novak Djokovic, whom he stunned in the final of the Open two and a half weeks ago.

Not a particularly good tournament for the BNP Paribas Open, mainly for reasons beyond its control.

The fact the BNP even was held, following a delay of two and a half years because of Covid-19, is a tribute to the sponsors and the ATP and WTA, respectively the associations in charge of big-time pro tennis.

The BNP always had been in early spring. The decision to take a chance with a temporary October return was dangerous and courageous, breaking tradition and battling issues. Proof of vaccination was required to enter the grounds; children under 12 could not be vaccinated, a factor that contributed to a lack of attendance.

And as we’re aware, fall means football, especially for television. The BNP has been on the Tennis Channel, but other than the true fans, who even cared?

And with changes because of time and injuries, the big guns, the players who made Indian Wells a must-see event — Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal — were missing, one reason the fans are missing.

A mid-afternoon match on Wednesday never is going to pack the place, but you’d have thought a match between a man who is No. 2 in the world and one, Dimitrov, who four years ago was No. 3, might draw.

Or maybe, given all the factors, you wouldn’t have thought that.

What a disappointed Medvedev — who was up a set and a break — thought was that the loss to the 28th-ranked Dimitrov could be blamed on a lot of things, including Dimitrov.

A lack of fans was not among them, however.

“Tennis is not about just one thing,” said Medvedev, a Russian whose English, while fine, is not perfect. “First of all, I mean, to lose four times the serve is just unacceptable. Yeah, that's why I lost the set.

“I don't remember myself losing three service games, even four service games ever, I guess, on hard courts. That shows how slow this court is and the conditions, more like clay, I would say, which I don't like, because to lose four times the serve is just unacceptable. Yeah, that's why I lost the set.”

The sun bothered him, too. He likes night matches. Hey, a great player adapts. Or does he want lights at Wimbledon?

“Second,“ said Medvedev, “I knew that during the day, much tougher to control the ball for me, especially on the serve. That's what we saw in some moments I couldn't pass my first serve. That's why I was asking to play at night, but this time it was not possible because I had a day off where other and were supposed to play today, so they were playing late at night. That's completely normal, but I knew it's not going to advantage me.”

He did offer kind words about Dimitrov.

“Grigor, going to be straightforward, if he plays like this, like he did starting from (down)  4-1, he's going to win the tournament. But let's see the final result of the tournament.”

When the stands will be full.