Speaking after an easy first-round win, Daniil Medvedev said he feels loved by the New York crowd. He even recalled his match against Nick Kyrgios at the 2022 US Open as he talked about fans loving him in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Medvedev brushed aside Attila Balazs in a lopsided encounter in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Discussing the crowd in the central stadium, he said he feels loved by the audience every time he plays there. However, there have also been clashes between the crowd at US Open and the Russian.
Daniil Medvedev feels loved in the Arthur Ashe Stadium
Medvedev started off his 2023 US Open campaign in style, defeating Balazs without breaking a sweat. The 2021 champion swatted the Hungarian aside 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 in a little over an hour. The Russian will now face unseeded Australian Christopher O’Connell in the second round. He should not have an issue winning that fixture as well. Later, in the post-match press conference, Medvedev was asked about his thoughts on playing in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev firstly said that he has lost very few times in the Arthur Ashe Stadium, adding he has played some great matches there. He recalled his fourth-round clash against Nick Kyrgios last year. The Australian eliminated the first-seeded Russian in four sets on the center court.
Medvedev said that was one of the few matches where the crowd is ’50/50′, supporting either player depending on the momentum. He added that every time he enters the Arthur Ashe Stadium, he feels that the fans have come for him. The World No.3 also said that he feels loved by New York and that it’s rare for him to say this.
“I won a lot of matches on Ashe. I don’t think I have lost actually a lot. A lot of great matches, and I remember last year against Nick, playing someone like Nick in New York, I don’t think there is going to be much players on tour where the crowd is going to be 50/50. That’s how I felt. The crowd was going for both of us, depending on the moment of the match. That was amazing feeling.
“I feel like honestly every time I go on Ashe right now, I feel like the crowd is there for me. I honestly feel like New York loves me and that’s very rare that I say something like this about the city. It’s a great feeling, and I really always love coming back. Always excited to play there.”
Kyrgios and Medvedev are two of the most polarizing figures in world tennis. The latter may feel loved right now, but he has had his share of run-ins with American fans.
Medvedev and American fans have had friction between them
Medvedev has often been on the receiving end of boos from the crowd at the US Open. He has been jeered by the fans on multiple occasions and has even returned the jeers with taunts. Back in 2019, Medvedev was booed during his third-round clash for his on-court antics. After winning the match, he mocked the crowd by telling them to boo him more, saying he won because of it.
The tension between the player and the fans continued in his fourth-round tie. The Russian gestured for the fans to boo him more and again made instigating comments after the win, saying fans going against him is energizing.
The frosty relation continued, peaking in the 2021 final. Medvedev reached the final and faced a stern test in the form of Novak Djokovic. He won the match to win his first Grand Slam, but he was rabidly booed and heckled on match point. US Open fans were widely slammed for their behavior. Since then, the friction between Medvedev and the New York crowd has lessened. From being called the ‘new bad boy’ of the US Open to saying he feels loved in New York, Medvedev has come a long way.
