Sam Querrey is backing ATP player who has been playing poorly for the whole of 2025 to win Indian Wells

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Indian Wells has already provided several shocks in 2025, as the top stars in men’s tennis compete for the trophy in California.

128 of the best players on the ATP Tour traveled to the United States with ambitions of winning the first Masters 1000 tournament of the year.

As the second round nears its conclusion, just 48 remain, after several big names exited the competition on Friday.

Number one seed Alexander Zverev lost to Tallon Griekspoor in round two, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, as the German lost his fourth match since the start of February.

Casper Ruud was another big name to lose, as he fell to defeat against home favorite Marcus Giron.

The highly regarded Czech duo of Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka were also upset in round two, as the ‘top half’ of the draw opened up.

One top-ten player could benefit from the open draw, as a former Wimbledon finalist recently predicted he would win the tournament.

Sam Querrey thinks Daniil Medvedev will ‘weasel his way’ to the 2025 Indian Wells title

Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, Sam Querrey named the player he thinks will win the tournament in California.

“This is a little out there, but [Daniil] Medvedev,” he said.

“He has been playing like absolute c—- all year.

“Nobody is talking about him but this draw is open to everyone.

“I feel like Medvedev is going to weasel his way to a tournament victory.”

The former world number one has struggled in 2025, winning just eight of his 13 matches on the ATP Tour.

Having reached the previous two Indian Wells finals, Medvedev will no doubt have been confident ahead of his second-round match, as he delivered one of the best performances of his season so far.

Dominating China’s Yunchaokete Bu, Medvedev won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, to book his place in the Indian Wells third round.

There he’ll face off against home favorite Alex Michelsen, who beat qualifier Colton Smith in his opener.

Daniil Medvedev’s route to the Indian Wells final

The Russian star’s Indian Wells title hopes were given a real boost on Friday, when top-five seeds Ruud and Zverev were knocked out of the competition.

Medvedev is now the top seed remaining in his half of the draw, as he looks well placed to reach his third consecutive final.

If he were to advance past Michelsen, Medvedev could face a tough test from America’s Tommy Paul in the fourth round, a semi-finalist at the event in 2024.

His biggest challenge may well come from the other half of the draw, however, as two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz looks to become the first player since Novak Djokovic to win three in a row at Indian Wells.

Alcaraz beat Medvedev in both the 2024, and 2023 Indian Wells finals, winning in straight sets on both occasions.

The world number six would surely love nothing more than to return to the Indian Wells final, going one better than he did in the two previous tournaments.

He’ll first switch his attention to Michelsen, who he plays in the Indian Wells third round on Sunday, March 9.