Daniil Medvedev: ‘I want to be remembered for tennis, not tantrums’
Daniil Medvedev has admitted that his behaviour at Indian Wells towards umpire Mohamed Lahyani was ‘immature.’
Medvedev clashed with Lahyani in his third round match against Ilya Ivashka. The Russian was upset about the slow speed of the court and branded it ‘a disgrace to the sport’ in a rant at the umpire.
He was still able to overcome that frustration to win, though, and he went on to beat Alexander Zverev in the following round too despite rolling his ankle during the match.
It was after that one, though, that he addressed his behaviour in the previous round – and accepted it was beneath acceptable levels.
“The attitude I had on the court today and with Ivashka was immature,” Medvedev said. “But, yeah, what else can I say? That’s also this high-intensity sport where you are one on one against the opponent brings the heat out of you.
“Some players are capable of controlling it better than the others. Some are controlling it less, like me. So, yeah, that’s my character, and that’s my personality, also.
“Sometimes if a person comes to me and says, ‘You did a mistake.’ I say, ‘No, I don’t think so.’
“Then that’s also your opinion. But sometimes I’m capable of seeing this, and then telling myself, ‘Okay, maybe next time I have to try to do better.’
“That’s something I’m going to try to work throughout my whole career, because I want to be remembered not definitely for my tantrums but more for my game and for my good parts of my personality.”
During the match with Zverev Medvedev was again raging about the court. Hardcourts are his speciality and he has never enjoyed playing on slower surfaces, as he record of clay proves.
Daniil Medvedev 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 doesn't like the courts at Indian Wells 😬 pic.twitter.com/yYukhi8QZv
— Eurosport (@eurosport) March 14, 2023
“It’s a disgrace to sport, this court,” Daniil Medvedev told the umpire about the court. “Freaking disgrace to the sport.
“Should be banned from playing here. And they call it a hard court. What a shame to call this awful court a hard court. I’ll go to the toilet but I don’t care, give me a time violation, I’m going to be as slow as this court.
“I don’t care if I get a time violation. I’m going to the toilet for however long. If they make us play here, I can do whatever I want. I don’t care.”
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