'I Know I Get Crazy': Medvedev Unbothered By Villain Role

Thursday, 11 May 2023 at 17:30

Updated at Wednesday, 13 August 2025 at 17:00

byZachary Wimer

Some might consider Daniil Medvedev a villain in the way he can clash with the crowds. However, the Russian feels he is just himself.

Medvedev had some impressive 'villain moments' such as when he asked the US Open crowd to boo him even more as he was giving an interview. He embraced being booed on several courts, several events, and several continents as well.

Some might argue that he does really well when everything is against him, but it's not something he actively pursues. He is the first to admit that he is often wrong, but his behavior is not driven by spite.

He just tries to be himself and sometimes that annoys people because he has a big personality.

"I just try to be myself. I know that I do mistakes. I know that sometimes I get maybe crazy on court, and I shouldn’t. Sometimes I show bad example and I shouldn’t. But sometimes I show a good example and that’s good."

It's a similar story to how Nick Kyrgios became the 'bad boy' of tennis, something that he wasn't very comfortable with. Medvedev is not bothered by it as much as Kyrgios, but he wouldn't like to be remembered as the villain of tennis.

"And so, if people think I’m the villain, that is their interpretation of me on the tennis courts, maybe they’re right, but I’m just trying to be myself. And if I have friends that love me, that’s great. I would be probably less happy if I don’t have any friends. So, I have my friends who know who I am in real life and that I can be chill and easygoing. Not like on the court, sometimes."

Medvedev will have a chance to interact with the crowd in Rome this week. The last couple of times he played at the Italian Open, he showed more interest in the architecture of the courts and the plants around the court than in tennis itself.