Men’s tennis is the best reality show you will find on TV these days. A lot of that has to do with Nick Kyrgios, but–amazingly enough–Kyrgios has stayed completely out of it so far at the U.S. Open. The same cannot be said of some other high-profile players.
Labor Day Weekend began with plenty of fireworks on Friday night. Heck, even Roger Federer was left cursing in his press conference…. And that was after a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 win!
Federer was asked–again–about possibly getting preferential treatment in terms of scheduling at various events around the world.
“I don’t remember that I asked for something,” the 38-year-old said following his third-round victory over Dan Evans. “I definitely didn’t [ask for a certain time slot] intentionally. I don’t even know if the team asked for [a day match]. I know there was questions to have a preference.
“But that doesn’t mean like, ‘Roger asks, Roger gets.’ Just remember that, because I have heard this shit too often now. I’m sick and tired of it, that apparently I call the shots. The tournament and the TV stations do.
“[Players] can give our opinion. That’s what we do. But I’m still going to walk out even if they schedule me at 4:00 in the morning.”
https://twitter.com/LadyBellatrix/status/1167521667834437633?s=20
Daniil Medvedev finished his third-round match well before 4:00 in the morning, but it was also well past midnight by the time he beat Feliciano Lopez. In triumph, though, he certainly did not silence the crowd that was against him from start to finish.
It all started when Medvedev swatted a towel out of a ballkid’s hands late in the first set. That turned the fans against him and thoroughly behind Lopez. Tired of all the support Lopez was getting, Medvedev made things even more polarized when he gave the crowd the finger after the Spaniard won an entertaining point with a backhand overhead smash.
Everyone saw it, too, because a slow-motion replay of Medvedev shooting the bird was displayed on the big screen in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The rest of the way it was downright circus, with the fans constantly booing Medvedev at every opportunity while throwing their support even more vociferously behind Lopez. The Russian eventually won in four entertaining sets and everyone knew the post-match interview was going to be…let’s say…interesting.
But what transpired was even more ridiculous than anyone could have anticipated. They came for a tennis match and WWE scene broke out.
“First of all I can say thank you all, guys, because your energy tonight gave me the win,” Medvedev declared while getting serenaded with boos that became louder and louder by the second. “Because if you were not here, guys, I would probably lose the match, because I was so tired. I was cramping yesterday; it was so tough for me to play. So I want all of you to know, when you sleep tonight: I won because of you.”
He then completely disregarded the interviewer’s next question, instead continuing his agenda against the crowd.
“Again, the only thing I can say is the energy you’re giving me right now, guys, I think it will be enough for my five next matches. The more you will do this, the more I will win–for you guys.”
“New York City deserves a better class of criminal. And I’m gonna give it to them!” — Daniil Medvedev#USOpen pic.twitter.com/5yQWnBPG5G
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) August 31, 2019
If Medvedev wins one more match, his reward will likely be a quarterfinal contest against familiar foe Novak Djokovic. Interestingly enough, Djokovic had a run-in of his own with a fan prior to his Friday night match against Denis Kudla.
A heckler on the practice courts got into it with top-ranked Serb, apparently saying that he should have retired with a shoulder injury in his previous match.
“I’ll come find you,” Djokovic responded. “Trust me, I’ll come find you.”
That was quite a night at #USOpen! After the Medvedev show, Novak Djokovic had some trouble with a spectator.
"Trust me, I come find you" 😵
pic.twitter.com/lR62raUeG3— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) August 31, 2019
It’s unclear if that happened, but the defending U.S. Open champion did find his way into the fourth round without any trouble. And, like Medvedev, he attributed his success to the haters.
“He did me a favor,” Djokovic said of the offending fan. “Big favor.”
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LOLOLOLOLOL
The Medvedev thing might be my favorite single tennis moment of the year. “I want you to know. When you sleep tonight, I won because of you.”
AHAHAHAHAAHAHA. Holy. Moly. He’s Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Except skinny and Russian.
LMAO, that was deliciously savage. Even though he is wrong in antagonising the crowd, but that was delicious. A total knockout. Even kyrgious is not that quick-wittedly savage. Federer should watch his language, Lol! Djokovic is a headscratcher though that fan was clearly looking for trouble. Drama galore!
Maybe Djokovic is getting into the true spirit of NYC and planning to mug that obnoxious fan in a dark alley.
Well the scary and mean way Medvedev jerked that towel out of that girls had did it for me: I would have been booing him after that completely unnecessary and abusive move. I never thought of him as a nice person – something I remember before he was hardly at he made racist comments. I’d have to look it up. But just thought of him as a dangerous character after that. Never thought much about it until he went on to be so successful.
And now my opinion of him has been validated.
But he is good at being a bad-ass – however it’s out of place considering why they began booing him in the first place.
Hilarious speech and his delivery was perfect – it was sarcastic but he’s also seriously fuming and fired up about his next matches – I believe that much! I laughed hard at him telling the crowd off, but his behavior to the towel girl was unforgivable and shameful. I will watch him, but I can’t stand him! He’s a powder keg of nastiness ready go off and bubble over when irked. Lol, Daniil Medvedev – nasty man.
edit: He was (hardly known) when he first made offensive racist snide comments. I understand many people value that kind of edgy wit and will like him for his nastiness. It makes him cool. But really he’s not. He’s just another smart ass jerk, that Medvedev.
He’s a warrior. He’s got a temper but theres one thing he is not and that’s a cheat. He doesn’t use gamesmanship, aggression or noises to distract or dominate his opponent. Ultimately, he’s ethical and honest, he’s not fake.
Not dominate, intimidate. Intimation.is instilling some degree of fear into your opponent which Serena does. Serena also screams come on in a way that’s designed to will the match in her favour psychologically. I find her behaviour and tactics despicable.
When Serena does the “come on” in the crouch position when her opponent hits the ball out during a long rally what she is really saying is “come on, hand the match to me”. She does the crouch to try and force more errors from her opponent.
No. Not buying that warrior excuse for mistreating a towel girl or making racist comments. I didn’t say he cheats or lies. He’s got a nasty temper to treat a young girl like that. That’s not a man or a warrior that’s a brute who doesn’t give a rats but for high and mighty self.
I’m not talking about Serena. But go on…it’s your opinion Jim Courier.
Yeah I like that too! Medvedev is really something, dare to go against the crowd in New York, what more he won’t dare to do!
What he did was at least one level up compared to Kyrgios’s, I mean he said all those sarcastic remarks, seeking retaliation against the crowd without the need to throw tantrums, break rackets, spitting at and arguing with the umpire or get a heavy fine; unless of course they want to fine him for pointing his third finger at the crowd or the umpire!
He’s a bad but smart a.s!
I blame NK! He’s corrosive. And contagious.
And dead, at the hands of Rublev!
I remember a similar incident with player threatening the heckler but am not sure if it was Djokovic
Djokovic is having pain in his left arm – could be making him more testy than usual.
Ramara, I blame Kyrgios for leading Tsitsipas wayward. Tsitsipas used to be very focused in his tennis career, now he seemed to be throwing tantrums more often and playing some awful tennis, ever since he partnered Kyrgios for doubles.
I hope he or his Father/coach could do something about his career, and made him distanced himself from the bad influence ie Kyrgios.
Think God Rublev beat Kyrgios! All through the match Kyrgios kept going on and on about how he couldn’t see! Bizarre. They even gave him eye stops at one point.
Everything is a drama with him. Good riddance!
Eye DROPS!
A few days in NYC and it’s understandable that Fed thinks $#it is acceptable English usage.
Really? They only use bad language in New York? 😱
Well, he certainly could have picked it up in Cincy but he wasn’t there that long…
How cushy has Serena’s draw been so far. Fortunately there’s still a few still left in the draw that can take her out.
Les just hope that the best players with the best chance of beating Serena continue to win.
Instinctively, I actually want Serena to lose more than any other result in both the men’s and women’s this US Open.
You know what they say, don’t fight your true feelings. If you feel a certain way you must have a very good reason.
Actually, not instinctively, intuitively.
If she plays Barty, Pliskova or Svitolina and Osaka. There’s a good chance she will lose on of those.
Fingers crossed.
Barty was knocked out by Chinese #1, Wang Qiang, this morning. Qiang is playing beautifully but I’d be surprised if she beat Serena at the USO. I had Barty beating Serena, as far-fetched as that sounds now. Barty was not at her best.
The winner of Konta v Pliskova might beat Serena. First Serena has to beat Petra Martic, which I’ll guess she does.
She is in the QF, Serena is!!
She takes on Konta in the QF.
correction: Serena takes on Chinese #1, Wang Qiang next! Serena looking good.
https://amp.news.com.au/sport/tennis/us-open-star-fined-for-disgraceful-move-bartys-silver-lining-kyrgios-injured/news-story/942b4a6d84d40d99a4d583a54b169699
Lol
https://twitter.com/doublefault28/status/1168270623560409088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-24076860473953044435.ampproject.net%2F1908231648370%2Fframe.html
Scary people.
Mike bryan should have known better. That was incredibly inappropriate and stupid especially given the current climate in the US. Joke or no joke, there was nothing funny about that and he wasn’t even smiling indicating he was pretty pissed off. He should have incurred a heavier punishment.
As for kyrgios, the less said the better. Though 12 months suspension maybe too harsh, he may quit tennis altogether if that happens though nobody will miss him. I think 5 or 6 months with missing a grandslam will be adequate.
Well said.
Haha Medvedev was funny, but such an idiot. I liked him before this incident. I think it’s not clever doing that.. he should just focus on what he has to do on the court, which has been working really well lately. This extra pressure he takes, will eventually cost him. He doesn’t seem used to these situations of fighting and defying the crowd, and late stages of a grand slam, seems a very bad moment for his innovation.
He’ll learn. This is the first time he reaches a slam QF, and the first time he gets all the attention from the NY crowd (in a negative way though).
As he matures and becomes more successful, I believe he’ll know how to deal with the crowd better. He seems a quick witted intelligent young man, may tone down his defiance nature and becomes more savvy in dealing with various situations, people around him, the crowd etc.