After blowing a two-set lead over Rafael Nadal throughout 5 hours and 24 minutes within the Australian Open last, Daniil Medvedev started his post-match press convention with an extended monologue. “Story of a young kid who dreamed about big things in tennis,” as he known as it.
He talked about his journey within the recreation since he’d first picked up a racquet when he was six, about desirous to play in Grand Slams in opposition to one of the best, concerning the moments of self-doubt over time. He concluded with a shocking declaration.
“From now on I’m playing for myself, for my family, to provide (for) my family, for people that trust in me, of course for all the Russians because I feel a lot of support there… if there is a tournament on hard courts in Moscow, before Roland Garros or Wimbledon, I’m going to go there even if I miss Wimbledon or Roland Garros or whatever. The kid stopped dreaming. The kid is going to play for himself. That’s it. That’s my story.”
Make no mistake: @DaniilMedwed can be again 💪 #AusOpen • #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/db1RTEpV5l
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 31, 2022
The 25-year previous Russian has most likely by no means even come near being a crowd favorite, though he’s had some moments of appreciation, even in Melbourne. But over the previous fortnight on the Australian Open, his already risky relationship with followers on court docket finally got here to accumulate an edge so sharp, it moved him to declare that he’d skip Wimbledon to play in entrance of appreciative residence followers.
Following Medvedev’s ‘story,’ the second query from a reporter was inevitably on whether or not the overwhelmingly partisan crowd at Rod Laver Arena had obtained to him. “I’m not going to answer questions about my story, sorry,” he smiled.
“Are you tired?”
Never change, @DaniilMedwed 😂#AusOpen • #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/6ys8NqBFs5
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2022
The very subsequent query was concerning the booing when Medvedev had walked onto court docket for the ultimate. “I‘m just going to give one small example. Before Rafa serves even in the fifth set, there would be somebody, and I would even be surprised, like one guy screaming, ‘C’mon, Daniil.’ A thousand people would be like, ‘Tsss, tsss, tsss.’ That sound. Before my serve, I didn’t hear it. It’s disappointing. It’s disrespectful, it’s disappointing. I’m not sure after 30 years I’m going to want to play tennis.”
Unfriendly crowd
For years, one of many narratives in tennis has been whether or not the youthful era had the flexibility to constantly tackle the ‘Big Three’ – Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – particularly within the Grand Slams. Medvedev identified with some bitterness that when he had gone up in opposition to the trio on the large event, followers hadn’t needed him to beat the greats of the sport.
“There were talks like people saying we really want young generation to go for it, to be better, to be stronger. I was like pumped up. Yeah, let‘s try to give them hard time and everything. Well, I guess these people were lying because, yeah, every time I stepped on the court in these big matches, I really didn’t see much people who wanted me to win.”
World class tennis participant, world class speech giver 😄#AusOpen • #AO2022 • @DaniilMedwed pic.twitter.com/l0BTWRJ1bS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2022
The pressure of getting a packed stadium ganged up in opposition to him had been increase for some time earlier than Medvedev crumbled within the last. “It‘s cumulative. But tonight (Sunday) was like the top of the mountain.”
An unfriendly crowd famously doesn’t get to Djokovic. On the opposite, he usually makes use of it to propel himself additional. Medvedev, partly of an identical mould, gave the impression to be making an attempt the identical within the opening two units, when he’d push the followers to boo him louder when he gained a recreation. It was to be a steep fall from the highest of that mountain — a two-set lead and three break factors at 3-2 and 0-40 within the third; Medvedev could be decreased to applauding his personal double faults, clapping sarcastically with fingers over his head and giving the group a thumbs-up.
That the group was booing him even between his first and second serves had obtained into Medvedev’s head throughout his second-round win over residence favorite Nick Kyrgios. Jim Courier had instructed him within the on-court interview that the group wasn’t booing him however shouting ‘Siu’, Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature celebration. Medvedev responded by telling the followers he couldn’t hear Courier. “If you respect somebody, at least respect Jim Courier,” Medvedev had stated.
Later, he added that he wasn’t anticipating to be supported as an alternative of Kyrgios, however the ones booing him “probably have a low IQ.”
Surprisingly, his third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp got here in a significantly friendlier ambiance, albeit on the neighbouring Margaret Court Arena. So a lot in order that Medvedev went on to say that he was feeling at residence.
“I like coming to Australia. I feel like people support me in general here. I want to even say feeling in a way is like home. So I do think it’s much more ups than downs with Australian crowd,” Medvedev had stated after beating van de Zandschulp in straight units.
“I tried my best”
We will not quickly neglect. Amazing effort 👏#AusOpen • #AO2022 •@DaniilMedwed pic.twitter.com/egFXsBBai9
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2022
The bonhomie was to be temporary. Medvedev railed in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas, his father, the officers and the world at massive within the semi-final, calling the umpire ‘mad’ and ‘stupid’ for letting his opponent get away with on-court teaching. Fortunately for him, he pulled himself collectively in time.
“To be honest, I don’t think that emotions helped me too much,” Medvedev stated after the four-set win over Tsitsipas. “You lose concentration and too much energy. As soon as I did it, I (thought), ‘That is a big mistake’. I am happy I (regained) concentration at the beginning of the third set.”
Learning for Novak
It was in the course of the third set when he began dropping it within the last. As if battling Nadal in a Grand Slam last wasn’t sufficient, he took on the group as properly, and paid the worth. Compatriot Aslan Karatsev, the world No. 15, stated it wasn’t smart of Medvedev to count on something however a one-sided crowd when he was enjoying Nadal.
Rafa in a phrase: Unreal#AusOpen • #AO2022 • @DaniilMedwed pic.twitter.com/sG6S0a2Qmf
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2022
“Of course, all the fans want to support him (Nadal). Maybe he (Medvedev) felt it was extra pressure against him. But after some time, he will understand that if you play against Rafa or Roger, of course, everybody loves them. And especially when he was injured and coming back to play in the final,” stated Karatsev, who’s in Pune for the Tata Open Maharashtra.
“It is not nice when someone is clapping between your first and second serves. I can understand because it has happened to me also. But you cannot tell the fans, ‘come on, support me.’ It does not make sense.”
When he was match level down in opposition to Felix Auger Aliassime within the quarter-final, Medvedev requested himself, ‘what would Novak do?’ and got here again to win from two units down for under the second time at a Grand Slam.
Maybe as soon as he recovers from the frustration and begins dreaming huge once more, the child will realise to not let one other partisan crowd get to him. It is definitely what Novak would do.
