Daniil Medvedev has found support in an unlikely place after video emerged of him confronting a group of Canadian tennis fans over a ‘loser’ chant in Montreal.
In the video, Medvedev was leaving the locker rooms following his 6-7 6-4 6-2 loss to Nick Kyrgios when a group of fans started chanting ‘loser’ to the 26-year-old Russian.
He turned on his heel and confronted the crowd, but what he was saying could not be heard. The focus of Medvedev’s attention appeared to be a young male fan in the middle of the crowd.
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Speaking ahead of the ATP Cincinnati Masters event, Medvedev declined to go into detail about what exactly he said to the young fan.
“I was disappointed after losing the match … but when someone mocks me, I’ll respond,” he said.
“It would be bad to let people shout bad things at me and just keep walking. I will ask what his problem is.”
Medvedev said the young fan was standing next to his father, who also joined in the chant.
“The father of the guy said something to me also – I say educate your kid. I won’t let people mock me.”
Medvedev said that kind of heckling didn’t happen often, and it was one of the first times it had happened to him.
The man who beat him in that match, Nick Kyrgios tweeted his support for Medvedev and called for fans to show more respect.
“This is the best we have in the sport, fans need to show some respect,” he said.
Both Medvedev and Kyrgios will continue their US Open preparations at the Cincinnati Masters. Medvedev will take on Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, while Kyrgios will face Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
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