Deja vu all over again: Medvedev gets into with the crowd, invoking memories of 2019 US Open

By Ricky Dimon

At the 2019 U.S. Open, Daniil Medvedev was public enemy No. 1 in New York.

It will take a lot more than what transpired on Thursday night for him to overtake Novak Djokovic for the same distinction in Melbourne, but he isn’t making any friends Down Under.

There’s still time, of course. By the end of the 2019 U.S. Open, in which Medvedev finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal, the Flushing Meadows faithful were singing his praises. And who knows? Now that crowd favorite Nick Kyrgios is out of the way, the Russian may be able to get the fans on his side for the remainder of the fortnight.

They weren’t in round two.

Even with only 50 percent capacity in Rod Laver Arena, it was a typically raucous pro-Kyrgios atmosphere. Medvedev took control of the match early by dominating the first-set tiebreaker 7-1 and then winning the second set 6-4. Hoping to help their guy get back in it, the fans became a little too overzealous and began cheering in between Medvedev’s serves when he missed a first one.

Kyrgios made a brief charge to force a fourth set, but the No. 2 seed ended up prevailing 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Afterward in an on-court interview with Jim Courier, Medvedev chastised the fans for their behavior and additional booing during the interview led to Medvedev telling them to “show some respect” to Courier. “When you get booed between first and second serve it’s not easy,” the 25-year-old said. “You just have to stay calm and win the match.”

In an interview with Eurosport moments later, Medvedev suggested that some of the offending fans “probably have a low IQ.”

“It’s a little bit disappointing. It’s normal, though, everybody experiences it — especially when you play a home favorite; and not just a home favorite, but Nick…. It’s not everybody who’s doing it, but those who are doing it probably have a low IQ.”

One week from now, those who were doing it may be cheering Medvedev on to a second Grand Slam title.

It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen that story.

Ricky contributes to10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.