In a thrilling showdown at the Paris Masters, Daniil Medvedev found himself at the center of a tennis drama that captivated the fans. The match pitted him against an in-form Grigor Dimitrov. The Russian, who has a history of unusual behavior with the crowd, was met with boos from them. It all began when Medvedev, who had lost the first set, was serving at 5-5 and struggling to close out the second set to level the scores.
As the jeers from the audience intensified, Medvedev reacted by hushing the fans by showing his fingers on his lips, a gesture that only seemed to intensify the situation, leading to more boos. In a bold move, he walked to his bench and sat down, making it clear that he would not continue unless the fans remained silent. The Russian told the chair umpire, “Tell them to be quiet and I’ll play.”
Medvedev vs the Paris crowd again 😭 pic.twitter.com/GG2a8Gsfmw
— zah pasta (@zahirahmdzaman) November 1, 2023
The chair umpire slapped Medvedev with a time violation for causing a delay in the game. This forced him to return to the baseline and continue the match, despite the dramatic interruptions. Surprisingly, Medvedev was able to hold serve and even had multiple set points against Dimitrov. However, the topsy-turvy set, culminated in a tiebreak, which Medvedev won on his seventh set point making it one set apiece.
In the end, Grigor Dimitrov managed to pull off an upset victory winning with a final scoreline of 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2). Adding a surprising twist to the post-match atmosphere, speculations arose that Medvedev had shown his middle finger as he walked past the crowd.
Daniil Medvedev was asked if he was giving the middle finger to the crowd:
“Middle finger? No. I was looking at my nail. Why would I do that to this beautiful Parisian crowd?” 😂
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 1, 2023
When questioned about this gesture, Medvedev denied it, humorously explaining, “Middle finger? No. I was looking at my nails. Why would I do that to this beautiful Parisian crowd?” It was yet another instance in Medvedev’s love-hate relationship with the Parisian crowd, adding another chapter to his unpredictable crowd interactions.
Daniil Medvedev’s previous similar encounter with Paris crowd
In another instance of his unruly behavior with the Parisian crowd, Daniil Medvedev found himself yet again at odds with the French spectators at Roland Garros during his French Open first-round match, where he faced an unexpected upset. The Russian star suffered a 7-6 6-7 2-6 6-3 6-4 grueling five-set loss to 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild, a match that lasted four hours and 15 minutes.
It all began when Medvedev felt frustrated with a disputed ball mark, marking the third such incident during the match. The official, Aurelie Tourte, ruled that the ball had not gone out, triggering jeers from the Parisian crowd. In response, Medvedev tried to hush the crowd by showing his finger to the lips, as he engaged in a heated discussion with the chair umpire about the call.
Daniil Medvedev Shushing Roland Garros (French open) telling the crowd to shut up, he’s talking to chair umpire pic.twitter.com/DE2N5Y9oqA
— Tennis Reaction vids (@DominicMEME) May 30, 2023
He later clarified his actions, stating, “I was discussing with another person, not with them, so they should shut up at this moment. Other than that, everything was fine, I think.” In yet another instance at the 2023 US Open, Daniil Medvedev responded to continuous boos from the crowd. Surprisingly, in the past, he has humorously credited his victories to such crowds by stating that he draws energy from such interactions!
