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

Thursday, 11 May 2023 at 17:30

Updated at Thursday, 11 May 2023 at 17:28

byKadir Macar

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

Daniil 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 one to tell you that he is often wrong but his behaviour is not out of spite or anything else. 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.

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It's a similar story to how 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 or anything like that.

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.

He'll have a chance to annoy the Rome crowd this week when he plays this week. The last couple of times he played in Rome he showed more interest in the architecture of the courts and the plants around the court than in tennis itself.