Only Tomas Machac, Benjamin Bonzi and Medvedev – in last week’s Rome semifinals – have extended the world No.1 to a deciding set in that stretch.

In world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz’s absence, snapping that streak has grown to become an even greater mountain to climb.

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“It's super tough. Actually, any match that we saw even this year, because I think he lost only two, the only way to beat him, you need to be at your best for all... three sets here, maybe even four, five sets, you need to run, be strong, to serve well, to return well,” Medvedev said.

“Like everything needs to be on the top level, because his game is everything at the top level. So that's the only thing, and that's what I managed to do in Rome, especially in the second set. Third set I had one sloppy game on my serve, and I lost with one break.”

The 30-year-old is buoyant about his form on what has traditionally been his least successful surface.

After reaching his first Rome semifinal since he lifted the trophy there in 2023, he pushed eventual champion Sinner in a hard-fought three-set showdown, which was held across two days due to rain.

Even for a player who counts seven wins against the 24-year-old, Medvedev concedes it is no small feat to take it to the world No.1 when he’s in full flight.

“I think if we compare it to any other player, the difference is that Jannik can any moment decide to step up and, for example, go down the line,” he said. “But not many players can do the backhand down the line and do it every time almost as winner."

“He can. He can do it for three sets, step up, down the line, strong shot, and then he's super fast to cover the forehand side. If you try to wrong-foot him, to go on his backhand, he basically doesn't wrong-foot, so he's there.

“It's just not easy to play him, but at the same time, I have to say I enjoy it. I had some really good matches against him, even the ones I lost, and it's like a tough challenge, which I will always try to win.”

While Medvedev has not beaten the tour’s now-dominant force since Wimbledon two years ago, he also had his chances in this year’s Indian Wells final where he fell just shy in two tiebreak sets.

In Paris, he opens against Australian wildcard Adam Walton and would not run into Sinner until the semifinals, which would be one round further than he has progressed before.

“He's a very, very tough player, tough opponent,” he said of Sinner. “But I always say sports is sports. So he can lose.

“There's a big chance if he plays like he plays now that he can win the whole thing, but every round someone is going to be on the other side of the court from him and try [their] best to beat him.

“So if I'm there – I'm actually in a way happy because it's only in semis, I think – I'm going to try, as well.”