“How are you talking to me?” Medvedev put the ball into the operator at Wimbledon

The defiant behavior of Daniil Medvedev at tennis tournaments, unfortunately, has become commonplace. Not without another unpleasant incident and Wimbledon. In the most difficult quarter-final match, the Russian again did not hold back his emotions.

How lucky Medvedev was to run into such a patient judge.

Operator strike

Daniel this year successfully performs at Wimbledon. Reaching the quarterfinals was a repeat of his personal best. The chances of surpassing this achievement were very high. The opponent of the Russian tennis player was the American Christopher Eubanks, who was not among the seeded.

Experts unanimously considered our tennis player a big favorite, but the reality on court No. 1 did not at all coincide with the pre-match handouts. The lanky Eubanks did not flinch in the face of Medvedev’s authority; on the contrary, he was very close to success.

The first game ended with Daniil’s victory, but then Christopher seized the initiative, taking the second set cleanly. The third segment also developed for the Russians not in the best way. In the first game, he allowed the American to make a break.

Eubanks did not want to give away the advantage he had gained. In the eighth game, Daniel, as is often the case with him in losing situations, lost his nerve. After another shortened Russian for some reason hit the ball that touched the court twice. Danya did this as unsuccessfully as possible, putting the ball into the operator.

Photo: © Clive Brunskill / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“Talk to me like that again”

The French judge Benoit Dumusua did not leave this episode unattended. He issued a warning to our tennis player, despite the apology. Medvedev was not satisfied with this sanction. He approached the tower and began to sort things out in a very provocative and raised tone.

Until what age did you play tennis? Up to ten years old? What are we playing? How are you talking to me? Talk to me like that after the game, you’ll see what happens, – Daniel turned to the referee in his native French for the referee.

Such words could easily be taken as a threat. Coupled with a blow to the operator, this could have ended for Medvedev with a disqualification. The players’ manual at Grand Slam tournaments forbids doing this kind of thing.

Photo: © Patrick Smith / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“Players must not violently, dangerously or in anger hit, kick or throw a tennis ball within tournament territory except in the reasonable desire to win a rally,” the manual says.

The judge could easily qualify Medvedev’s behavior as “exceptionally egregious”, but Benoit did not take it to extremes. He limited himself to a warning. Perhaps Dumusois was just used to this behavior of the stars. A month ago, Novak Djokovic also not very politely complained to the arbitrator due to disagreements in the start of the timer.

It’s good that Daniel escaped with a slight fright. In the fourth and fifth games, he was better, winning a three-hour match. Medvedev remained the only representative of Russia in the men’s and women’s singles. In the semi-finals, our tennis player will face Carlos Alcaraz.