The confrontation between Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev is considered one of the most interesting in world tennis. And it’s not just about bright matches and unpredictable outcomes. The Russian and the German often argue, accusing each other of almost all mortal sins. But one match stands out even against this background.

Even apologies on the court didn’t help smooth the situation over!

The plan is to beat Medvedev on unloved ground

Medvedev and Zverev approached the third round match at the Masters in Monte Carlo, which was scheduled for April 14, 2023, with equality in their personal confrontation. Each has won six of their 12 bouts on the professional tour. Moreover, they previously met only on hard court, but in Monte Carlo they met for the first time on clay.

Medvedev, seeded third at the Masters, was considered the favorite. Zverev received number 13 and played one match more than his opponent. While Daniil was resting, Alexander was tinkering with his Kazakh namesake Bublik in the first round.

Alexander Zverev / Photo: © picture alliance / Contributor / picture alliance / Gettyimages.ru

But Medvedev had no right to underestimate the German. In addition, Daniel has long been known for his dislike of soil and even called it dirty clay. The heavy surface worsens his game, and his opponents actively take advantage of this. Zverev also hoped to take advantage of the Russian’s weakness.

Cleaned up the counters and calmed the public

The start of the match was left to the Russian, who quickly made a break. Daniil led 2:1, but swam on serve and gave the initiative to Alexander. Of course, one should not belittle Zverev’s efforts, but Medvedev himself was to blame for his mistakes. 2:1 turned into 2:5, and soon Zverev took the first set – 6:3.

In the second set, Daniil again started briskly, and then stalled on the hated ground. Things were heading towards defeat – with the score 4:5, Zverev went to serve for the match. And then Medvedev committed an extremely controversial act: while passing by the net, for some reason he pulled out one of the structures holding it and put it on the court. The opponent and the audience were shocked, and the match referee was surprised by this behavior of the world tennis star, but he did not punish Daniil – he just came down from the tower and returned the lock to its place.

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

Incomprehensible manipulations with equipment helped Medvedev. Having won three games in a row in a very difficult fight, the Russian won the set with a score of 7:5 and moved the match into the third game.

At the same time, for almost the entire game, Daniil fought not only with Alexander, but also with the audience, which was furiously rooting for the German. Medvedev tried to shut her up, but, frankly speaking, it didn’t work out very well. Only in one episode did the audience support the Russian: with the score 5:5 in the second set, the judge gave a controversial play to Zverev, but the stands were so loud that Daniil had to calm them down.

“I behaved like shit, I’m sorry.”

The swing continued in the third set. Little tennis tricks were used. With the score 4:3 in his favor, Medvedev suddenly left the court, but managed to return within the allotted minute and a half. This toilet break confused Zverev, but did not stop him from winning two games in a row. The Russian tennis player did not allow anything more, switching the game to a tiebreaker, and won in a very tense ending – 7:6 (9:7).

After the game, Medvedev apologized to Zverev in a highly unusual manner.

“I behaved like shit, I’m sorry,” Daniil said to Alexander.

The German did not answer and only casually shook hands. It was clear that he was dissatisfied with the outcome of the match and the behavior of his opponent.

Medvedev did not forget Zverev’s tricks

The essence of the claims became clear after Zverev’s interview with the British media. In it, he accused Medvedev of dishonest play.

– This is one of the most dishonest players in the world. I take fair play and sportsmanship ethics very seriously. He doesn’t do that. For example, he takes a toilet break when he shouldn’t. There are a thousand situations in which he feels that I have started to play better, and every time he tries to do something. “I’m extremely disappointed with him as an athlete,” Zverev complained in an interview with Sky Sports.

Medvedev’s response was no less powerful.

— Sasha lives in his own world. Other players were already coming up to me and jokingly saying: “Danya, why are you so dishonest?” Sasha is not like Casper Ruud, Diego Schwartzman or Andrey Rublev. When he accuses you of dishonesty, you want to tell him: Sasha, look in the mirror,” said Medvedev, whose words were quoted on social networks by journalist James Gray.

Daniil Medvedev / Photo: © Tullio Puglia / Contributor/ Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

In the quarterfinals of the Masters, Daniil lost to Holger Rune (3:6, 4:6), and after the game he imitated Zverev’s cold handshake and jokingly told the Dane that he had played dishonestly. Rune appreciated the irony, and the German received a clear signal that Medvedev does not forget such tricks.

So far there are no high-profile scandals

Later, relations between the tennis players improved. Alexander admitted that he got excited after the defeat in Monte Carlo, and Daniil promised to help him get out of the group at the ATP Final Tournament and regretted that he could not do this. There were no more resonant picks between them.

A new round of confrontation between the two leaders of their generation will take place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Formally, the hatchet is buried between them, but it is quite possible that Zverev or Medvedev will do everything to incapacitate each other. Then we should expect new accusations and powerful statements.