Daniil Medvedev begins his Miami Open campaign on Friday, but the Russian player might struggle to command the spotlight typically reserved for defending champions.

Fans are currently captivated by the emerging rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Medvedev burst onto the tennis scene aiming to break the dominance of the Big Three – Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal – in the spotlight.

However, as that era starts to fade, the 28-year-old finds himself once again on the periphery, with world No. 2 Alcaraz and Australian Open champion Sinner stealing the show.

"I'm trying to catch them here and there," Medvedev said at a press conference on Thursday. "But for me, it's always a good challenge when we have these young guys coming up; it makes you only better.

"The more I play, the more young guys will come, and the more I'll try to adapt my game, and that's what I'm trying to do right now."

Straddling two generations, Medvedev has never quite fit in with either. His talent is unquestionable, with a resume featuring a U.S. Open title and five other appearances in Grand Slam finals.

If anything has held Medvedev back, it is his inability to deliver consistently at the biggest moments, losing twice in Grand Slam finals to Nadal and twice more to Djokovic, who is not competing in the Miami Open.

And Medvedev is beginning to exhibit that same failing against the new leaders of the pack.

Winning the first two sets against Sinner in the Australian Open final, Medvedev crumbled and lost the next three as the Italian claimed his first Grand Slam crown.

It was Alcaraz who ended the Russian's hopes in the Wimbledon semi-finals last year, while the Spaniard also defeated Medvedev in the last two Indian Wells finals.

Fans have been slow to warm to the enigmatic Medvedev, who has played the role of villain as well as crowd favorite.

He conceded that it is not just winning that matters to fans but how you get the job done.

"I think it's in every sport when you play defensively, people want to see the shots," said Medvedev. "As soon as Carlos came on the tour, he gained a lot of fans because he crushes the ball.

"For me, the result is the most important; it's more important than, let's say, being beautiful on the court.

"When players can mix it up, it's, in my opinion, even more beautiful."