Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev not only struggled with his opponent at the US Open. He also had an unmistakable message for the organisers.
In temperatures of 34 degrees and more, the fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York were sweating as they watched the all-Russian duel in the quarter-finals of the US Open. But even more than the spectators in the stands, the players suffered from the conditions. Daniil Medvedev took two medical time-outs during the match against his compatriot Andrei Rublev to receive treatment.
“The conditions were brutal,” Medvedev said after his three-set victory over his friend Rublev. “The only good thing about it was that we both suffered.” The world number three complained after the match about the extreme heat on the court at Flushing Meadows. “At the end of the first set I was struggling to see the ball, I was just playing by feel there. “
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During the third set, Medvedev then vented his anger when he said into a camera standing on the sidelines, “One day a player will die and then you’ll see it.” The announcement was apparently in the direction of the tournament organisers.
Medvedev and Rublev gave each other nothing in the match, which was attended by Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps among others, and put their friendship on hold for the duel. Rublev is the godfather of Medvedev’s daughter Alisa, but gave everything in the New York heat to defeat the world number three. But hard court specialist Medvedev proved too strong and prevailed.
The Russian’s next opponent is world number one Carlos Alcaraz. The second semi-final will be contested by Grand Slam record champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia and the US American Ben Shelton.
