Medvedev loses as Paris crowd boos him

Frenchman Daniil Medvedev lost to Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(2) in a nearly three-hour match in the second round of the Paris Masters on November 2.

After throwing his racket onto the court at 5-5 in the second set, Medvedev was booed by the Centre Court crowd. He walked to his bench, stopped playing, put his hand to his lips to silence the fans, and continued to provoke the crowd. Umpire Renaud Lichtenstein warned Medvedev for delaying his serve.

Medvedev reacts to the crowd after being booed on Centre Court at the Accor Arena, November 1. Photo: Eurosport

Medvedev was forced to return to the match to avoid a forfeit. He won the second set in a tie-break, but lost the deciding set in the same tie-break. On his way off the court, the Russian was booed again by the Paris crowd. He responded by raising his middle finger to the crowd.

"I was just checking my nails," Medvedev said after the match, when asked about the unsightly gesture. "Why would I do that in front of this wonderful crowd in Paris?"

Medvedev has had a history of strong reactions to American and French audiences. When asked whether the Paris crowd was the worst on the ATP, Medvedev simply said he played better without fans on the court, as evidenced by his 2020 title win during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I have a lot of French friends and they don't seem to like this tournament very much," the 27-year-old added. "Maybe there's a reason."

In the match against Dimitrov, Medvedev was under great pressure from the audience. In a situation where he served while the crowd was still applauding, Dimitrov was not ready so the Russian had to serve again. The audience started booing, making Medvedev frustrated. Despite saving six match points in the third set, including a 47-touch rally, the Russian still ended his three-match winning streak against Dimitrov.

Dimitrov hits a backhand during his win over Medvedev at the Paris Masters on November 1. Photo: ATP

Dimitrov lost to Medvedev in the second round of the ATP 500 Vienna Open last week. In October, the Bulgarian eliminated Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters. With Alcaraz and Medvedev both eliminated, only Novak Djokovic remains among the top three seeds at the Paris Masters.

After hitting 48 winners in the two-hour, 54-minute match, Dimitrov set up a third-round match against Alexander Bublik. The 32-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Paris Masters, but has not won a title since winning the 2017 ATP Finals.

Vy Anh

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