For many players, Indian Wells represents a tennis paradise… not so for Russian Daniil Medvedev. The sixth in the world has not stopped criticizing the slowness of the pitches since the start of this first Masters 1000 tournament of the season.
ALSO READ: [À VOIR] “FAA” saves six match points and advances to quarterfinals
ALSO READ: Wawrinka isn’t nice to Rune
ALSO READ: The Quebecer who works in “Tennis Paradise”.
“They call it a hard court! Medvedev told the chair umpire on Tuesday after losing the first set of his match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev (which he would eventually win 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) 7-5 to earn a… 17th place .to get a win in a row).
And the Russian didn’t stop there, according to sports daily L’Équipe. The former world No. 1 continued his tirade by calling it a “shame” to call “this terrible court a hard court”.
“And I know what I’m talking about, I’m a hard court specialist,” he added shortly afterwards.
Medvedev, who has become the man to beat on the track in recent weeks, was not at his first crisis over the slowness of the California desert courts.
A tournament that also never smiled at him before he reached the quarter-finals there this year. The 27-year-old had never progressed past the round of 16 before.
25 minutes on the toilet
On Sunday, during his game against his compatriot Ilya Ivashka (85th in the world), this time the Russian had informed the referee that he wanted to take a 25-minute break in the toilet.
“I’ll pee as slow as these pitches are slow.” You can count 25 minutes. Pitches are slow so I’m going to take it slow,” he said, before being brought down by the officer, who reminded him he was a pro.
“And I’ll be as slow as the dish, so it may take you 25 minutes… oh no no, but the dish is slow, so I’m going slow, I’m taking my time” – Daniil Medvedev 💀 pic.twitter.com/ELo55WkrZW
— A✨ (@_fazahsn_) March 13, 2023
Other players, including Félix Auger-Aliassime, pointed out that it was the balls and changing playing conditions that slowed down the game at Indian Wells.
But no matter: Despite these slow courts and despite a sprained ankle suffered against Zverev, Medvedev is in the quarterfinals for the first time in his career in tennis paradise.