Rackets would usually be in danger in the hands of Daniil Medvedev, as the Russian has a habit of making a mincemeat out of them. In the Vienna Open, however, it was his bare hands that bore the brunt of the frustration during the match against Cameron Norrie. Struggling to make a decisive play against the Brit in the third set, the former World No. 1 had a sarcastic jibe at the ATP during one of the changeovers.
“If you hurt yourself, at least you don’t get the fine,” Medvedev was heard saying on the court. “The ATP likes it when people get hurt.” The incident happened during the third set, when Medvedev was 0-2 down. With his frustrations boiling over, the former US Open champion balled his hand into a fist and repeatedly punched the court surface, in an effort to let go of his pent-up anger.
Racket smashes have long been common in tennis, as players often use their gear to vent their frustrations. None more so than Medvedev himself, who had a massive meltdown in Monte-Carlo last year, when he lost 6-0, 6-0 and proceeded to destroy his racket. However, with the growing number of racket-smash incidents, ATP has strict racket-abuse regulations with serious on-court and off-court sanctions.
While on-court sanctions include the umpire issuing a warning and then imposing a point or game penalty based on the frequency of the offense, off-court sanctions are mostly fines. While the fines are somewhere between $5000-$10000 for a basic racket smash, the fines are quite high if the action damages the court or the net, or puts any of the ball kids, match officials, or fans in danger.
Of all people, Medvedev is no stranger to fines, especially given how recent on-court incidents have panned out for him. The Russian was fined his entire earnings at the China Open after he got disqualified from his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic for accidentally hitting a fan with the ball. It has not only been Medvedev but several other players who have chosen to hurt themselves instead of taking it out on their rackets to bypass the rules and avoid fines.
Medvedev’s compatriot, Andrey Rublev, has often been spotted smashing his racket against his legs to the point that the Russian has started bleeding on the court. In one of his recent matches against Hugo Gaston in Hangzhou, Rublev punched the advertising boards on the wall, causing his hands to bleed. However, the Russian eventually recovered and won the match.
Much like his compatriot, Medvedev did the same, as the former US Open champion regrouped and secured the win against Norrie, even after saving match points.
Daniil Medvedev Wins His Match in Vienna After Saving Match Point
Things were looking bleak for Medvedev at the point of his outburst, as the Russian went down 0-3 in the deciding set against Norrie. The Russian made a comeback, leveling at 3-3, only to lose serve to go down 3-5, with the Brit having a match point while serving for the match at 5-3.
However, being the champion he is, Medvedev brought his best when his back was against the wall, saving a match point and breaking Norrie’s serve to get back in the match. Both players held their serves to take the set to a tiebreak, where the former Major champion used his experience to play an excellent tiebreak, winning it 7-1.
With this win, Medvedev reached the quarterfinals, where he is set to face Adrian Mannarino. The head-to-head between the two players is close, with the Russian holding a slight 5-4 edge, but Medvedev has won five of their last six matches. The Russian has been in excellent form recently, winning two titles and reaching two semifinals in his last four events. With 3760 points, the World No. 5 is also 5th in the Race to Turin, and a deep run in Vienna will all but ensure his spot in the ATP Finals in November.