The 2021 season saw Daniil Medvedev flourish on the tour. He won 63 matches and only lost 13, as he had a long season. Medvedev won the US Open and ended the season by winning the Davis Cup. It had been his best year yet on tour since turning professional. It was a near-perfect season except for a little stumble at the Cincinnati Masters.
The Russian was set to face Andrey Rublev in the semifinals. Rublev lost the first set and was serving in the third game when he directed Medvedev’s return with a forehand down the line. Medvedev ran across the court to recover the ball when he clashed with the camera on the court. The camera fell as Medevedev checked himself for injuries, and, in a fit of rage, he kicked the camera lens when the umpire approached him.
Medvedv’s left hand took the hit as he told the physio that the camera almost broke his hand. He threatened to sue the event organizers and told them to take it away. He asked the umpire about the player’s safety on the court. Even Rublev said that Medvedev could have gotten hurt and was relieved that nothing serious happened. The crowd was also shocked by the incident.
Daniil Medvedev has a love-hate relationship with the US Open crowd
Medvedev always has more crowd interaction when he plays at the US Open. At the other slams, he does not chat much with the spectators. But the US Open has been a special event for him, with his debut major title in 2021 and his love-hate relationship with the crowd. This year, the rocky relationship between Medvedev and the crowd continued.
The story started in 2019 when the crowd booed Medvedev after a match, and he responded by saying that he won because of them. The crowd continued booing, and Medvedev taunted them by saying he would win more matches for them. In 2021, the crowd was entertained by his unique celebration after the matches. This year it has been a mix of boos and cheers for Medvedev.
Daniil Medvedev on his relationship with US Open crowd:
“I don’t know what’s the difference between today & some other days. I want to thank you guys.. It was super respectful. Almost no one shouted between 1st & 2nd serves.. Hopefully it’s gonna be you guys on Wednesday” 😂 pic.twitter.com/LJgFPSGFGe
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 5, 2023
The world No.3 had a rough start with the crowd as he kept saying there were distractions while serving. After his fourth-round match, Medvedev thanked the crowd for not disturbing him during the serve and hoped he would get the same crowd in the next game.
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