Stefanos Tsitsipas responds to Daniil Medvedev dancing after beating him

Tennis News
Daniil Medvedev in Rome

Stefanos Tsitsipas has described Daniil Medvedev’s dance after their Italian Open match as “fun” and revealed he was not “mad or upset” about the celebration.

The Greek also admitted his defeat to his rival in Rome gave him a “fresh idea” of the player the world No 2 has become on clay courts.

Medvedev defeated Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-5 in the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament earlier this month.

The Russian celebrated the victory by dancing after match point – likely in response to Tsitsipas doing the same after winning their clash in Cincinnati last year.

World No 2 Medvedev has now won eight of the 12 matches between the pair in what is one of the most intriguing rivalries in tennis.

Following his first round win over Jiri Vesely at the 2023 French Open on Sunday, Tsitsipas was asked about Medvedev’s dancing.

“Well, if it’s meant to be this way, I guess there is a dance after every one of them, I guess. No, it was fun. I wasn’t mad or upset or anything regarding that. I did the same a few months ago, so…,” Tsitsipas said.

“It was not kind of – in a way, there are certain expectations when you step out on the court, and with him there was this expectation that this is a big chance for me to make it to the finals.”

The Greek also addressed the threat that Medvedev – who went on to win the Italian Open – now poses on this surface.

“You know, I have a lot of good matches won on that surface under my belt, and I proved to myself over the last few years that I can create good results on this particular surface,” the World No 5 continued.

“So going into that match, I knew kind of that I was dealing with a different player because he seemed to be playing well against some good opponents just before we faced each other. So in a way I was expecting something better.

“I wasn’t expecting that much better of what he played in the semi-finals. But that for sure pushes me to be much more focused and determined, and kind of, not down-to-earth, I wouldn’t say, because, you know, he kind of caught me off guard.

“The consistency and the power that he was able to put out there. But for sure he gave me a fresh idea of who he now is on this surface.”

Medvedev will face qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild in his opening match in Paris on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas received French Open ‘wake-up call’

Daniil Medvedev Stefanos Tsitsipas

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