Daniil Medvedev on his on-court antics: ‘I can be a little childish and start crying’

ATP Tour
Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev admits he “can be a little childish” when he steps onto a tennis court, but insists he has a completely different personality away from the sport.

The Russian has always been known for his volatile temper, but he took it to a new level at the US Open in 2019 when he lost his cool with a ball boy, threw a racket and gave the crowd the middle finger during the third round.

Meanwhile, in Marseille earlier this year his attitude was so bad that his coach Gilles Cervara decided to leave the court.

However, the world No 5 says he is “super easy going” and doesn’t know why he becomes so temperamental on court.

“I am much more patient than on the court… You can trust me, no matter what you say you won’t make me angry right now. No matter if you start insult me or the opposite, start complimenting me. I’m super easy going, on court that changes,” he told Eurosport’s Barbara Schett during an Instagram Live chat.

“I actually don’t know exactly where it comes from, but since I was young, this importance to win something takes over. I want to do everything I can and, on the court, I can be a little childish and start crying. Not literally, but kind of in a way, that’s it. But talking with me and stuff like this is super easy going.

“Some other tennis players they kind of don’t understand why I’m like this. Because I can do some bad things on the court and they cannot divide tennis life from normal life. So they won’t be friends with me and it’s normal out of the tennis court. And I’m like ‘out of the tennis court I’m different guys, please, believe me!’. But they take it very personally what happens on the tennis court and well it’s okay. It doesn’t bother me.”

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Daniil Medvedev

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