World No.4 Daniil Medvedev has issued his own dig at Stefanos Tsitsipas after the Greek criticised his playing style.
The two clashed in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters last week, which the Russian won in straight sets. Extending his head-to-head record over Tsitsipas to 5-0. However, it was during the post-match press conference where the controversy started. Asked what it is like to play Medvedev on the tour, Tsitsipas replied by saying that it was ‘boring.’
“Well, I don’t mean to be rude at all, actually, at all, but it’s just boring. It’s boring. It’s so boring that — I don’t know.” He said.
“So he has a huge serve, and if you manage to get it back, it’s just countless balls inside the court, which you have, the only way you have to, you can do is hit as hard as you can side to side, be accurate, and make him move.”
“Otherwise you can just play it back to him and play it again and play it again. It just keeps coming back, keeps coming back.”
Medvedev is currently on a nine-match winning streak and has won three out of his past four tournaments played. Two of which were at Masters level. He has won more matches than anybody else on the ATP Tour this season and has featured in six consecutive finals since Wimbledon.
Responding to comments made by his rival at a press conference on Tuesday, the 23-year-old brushed them aside. Poking fun at Tsitsipas’ for what he said about his Laver Cup celebration.
“Every tennis player can say something nasty about some other player. Tsitsipas also gave another interview during Shanghai, if I am not mistaken. He was asked how he celebrated the victory at the Laver’s Cup. Not only me, but many Russian and international tennis players laughed at his answer. After that interview I stopped taking Tsitsipas seriously.” Medvedev stated.
“He said, that he was forced to drink alcohol. Well, nothing serious, but then he said: “Mother, do you hear it? They forced me to drink! It was disgusting, I can show you the video”. That is not funny. I don’t take him seriously after that.”
It is not the first time the two players have had a falling out. During the 2018 Miami Open the umpire had to step in after the conclusion of their match. Both were frustrated with each other for taking long toilet breaks. Medvedev took his at the end of the second set and Tsitsipas took mis midway through the decider. At the end of their match, Medvedev called his rival ‘a small kid who doesn’t know how to fight.’
Alexander Zverev, who was runner-up in Shanghai last week, said the two players have a ‘weird relationship’ on the tour. However, he refuses to get caught up in the fiasco when questioned about it by reporters.
“Stefanos and Daniil have a weird relationship a little bit. So I will leave that to them,” said Zverev.
“I have a very good relationship with Daniil since we’re kids, and I’m having a good relationship with Stefanos now since the Laver Cup. So whatever they have, they can leave it for themselves.”
The German said he disagreed with the idea that Medvedev’s style of play in boring. Having previously described him as currently one of the best players in the world. Medvedev has won 29 out of his last 33 matches played on the tour.
“Daniil is somebody that plays in a way that we have never seen before. So you can see it both ways. Yeah, maybe he doesn’t do huge winners or jumping forehands or anything like that, but he plays a style that we have never seen before.” He explained.
“That is not boring to me. But we have to adjust to it. We play against different players every single day of our lives. Every single player is different. There are no players that play the same way.”
Medvedev has withdrawn from this week’s Kremlin Cup due to fatigue.
