Controversy! Johnson-Medvedev Grudge Match at Citi Open

[scoop]

Steve Johnson and Daniil Medvedev had a hot-tempered clash on Wednesday late night on grandstand at the Citi Open that erupted into a grudge match.

“You seldom see tennis players get really mad at each other,” a photographer who was at the match told me. “But Steve Johnson and Medvedev got into it.”

I left the Fitzgerald Tennis Center right after Tennys Sandgren defeated Nick Kyrgios and unfortunately missed all the drama between 27-year-old Johnson and the #NEXTGEN Russian, who played each other once before, last month in Eastbourne (won by the 21-year-old 63 26 63).

Here’s what happened. #34 ranked Johnson won the first set 63 and was up a break in the second set. Both players were resting on a changeover and the chair umpire called “time.” That’s when Medvedev, ATP 50, suddenly asked for a medical timeout. It took the physio three or four minutes to get to the court and a further delay ensued. Johnson was understandably irritated at Medvedev’s stall tactic which of course was designed to distract the American’s following service game.

And of course it did. Medvedev broke Johnson who then shouted across the net at the young Russian who is based in Nice, France since age seven, “Nice injury time out you piece of sh**!” – according to the photographer who was present.

Medvedev ended up winning the second set 64 to force a third set deep past midnight before a sparse crowd. There were no other matches being played.

Johnson and Medvedev battled all the way to a third set tiebreaker which was won by the Russian 7-1.

The tricky Medvedev is no stranger to controversy. Last year at the Savannah Challenger Medvedev was disqualified for his choice of words during a match against Donald Young. Leading 15-40 against Young’s serve, Medvedev sat down in his changeover chair after he thought he won the point. But the chair umpire called his shot into question, and later ruled that it had gone out after stepping down from her seat and checking the baseline where the ball landed.

Medvedev who was trailing in the first set 1-3, spoke directly to the chair umpire, who was African American, as she began climbing back up to her seat. Spectators laughed at Medvedev’s comments before he added: ‘I know that you are friends. I am sure about it.’

Keith Crossland, the tournament’s supervisor, interrupted the game to have a discussion regarding Medvedev’s actions, before deciding to give the match victory to Young, 4-1.

Also this year at Wimbledon, Medvedev was fined $14,500 for throwing coins at the chair umpire following his second-round loss against Ruben Bemelmans. Medvedev had asked for a new umpire down 5-2 in the fifth set but he had his request denied. When Medvedev lost the fifth set (6-3) and match, he suddenly grabbed his wallet, began taking out coins, and tossed them at the umpire.

This Medvedev character is something isn’t he? He just might be the second-most controversial player in tennis today, second of course to Nick Kyrgios. If Medvedev can sustain this rate of antics and shenanigans, he could take over the ATP No. 1 ranking in the Race To Be Most Controversial Man On Tour by the end of the year.

Creating drama and controversy actually seems to have no effect on Medvedev’s performance. In fact, it may help. After beating Johnson in Washington, Medvedev followed it up 24 hours later with a straight set beatdown of wildcard Grigor Dimitrov 64 62.

Medvedev is definitely one to keep an eye on now. I tried to do a Biofile with Daniil yesterday afternoon on the grounds. He walked by and I asked if he could do a short interview, then I suddenly realized he might be playing later in the day and he said Yes he was. I said maybe we can talk after the match and he smiled and added that he’s playing late again. I was struck by his choirboy politeness. But underneath that pleasant exterior is a cunningly clever, very interesting young man who has an above average innate sense of how to win tennis matches without any fear of bending or stretching the rules or expressing his sincere thoughts and opinions of injustice or foul play.

Daniil Medvedev is just the kind of character the sport desperately needs.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Hartt; I disagree with the racist accusations. And it was not racist what Hewitt did either. When a black linesperson or umpire is possibly favoring the black player against a white player or non black, that white or non black player has every right to state his mind if he truly feels he is being cheated. That's not racist that's blunt honesty. People always accuse whites or racist actions why can't whites accuse blacks of racist behavior?? It's possible and it can happen and if it does the victimized player should SPEAK UP. Medvedev speaks up and I respect that a lot. You seem to think that black racism against whites in tennis is impossible.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Agree Chazz, it's often always a ploy to stall the match and ice the opponent and break his momentum. It happens often or perhaps way too often but it does add an extra dimension of drama to tennis and it's always interesting to see how the players police themselves.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Not going to hate on Medvedev for this. Who knows what other veteran players have done to him in the past. We don't know what he's been through. Nick Kyrgios' brother told me Stepanek intentionally bumped into Nick at the net post on a changeover to try to intimidate the teenager. This was three or four years ago. I also respect Johnson's very militant aggressive angry response. I prefer Medvedev pulling this kind of stalling tactics over tanking or complaining to his mom "I don't want to play." So respect to Medvedev for being resourceful if unsportsmanlike. And respect to Johnson for fighting fire with fire and not self destructing or pouting about it. Change the rules or players are allowed to take advantage of the rules the way they are.

 

[DarthFed]

Sorry but it's pathetic resorting to cowardly tactics like that. Johnson had every right to cuss the little bitch out and if I'm him I'd try to make it physical. Threaten the kid, try to hit him with a serve/overhead, etc. When you pull that type of stuff you open yourself up to serious retaliation.

And defending obvious racist comments...seriously? When do you hear black players tell a white chair ump that he is clearly friends with the white player?

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

Scoop are you saying that questioning the integrity of officials is good behavior? I don't care whether it's about race or nationality or any reason. There is no excuse for Medvedev to A - say that an official is rooting for another player and B - to suggest that another official has been bribed. When you lose you should accept it and not make excuses. That's the issue here with Medvedev. Something goes wrong and it's not his fault. Seriously there is nothing that Young, Bemelmans and Johnson really have in common to justify Medvedev.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

I mean that's a great lesson to teach here - when you lose, blame the chair umpire. Ridiculous.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Ok, I think we all know there wasn't any favoritism in this era of spotshot. That makes Medvedev a class A jerk. The fines that will rain down on him will prove it.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

scoopmalinowski writes:

To condone violence on Medvedev for this is extreme. He broke no rules. Maybe he really needed help. Atp must change the rules.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Hewitt's better behavior could also be called respect for his fellow player and their feelings and being smart enough to know he screwed up. That's also in his favor to realize it and correct himself .

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

The timeout to freeze another players serve is a terrible tactic. It is a tactic. I think Konta did this once? Bathroom break before another players serve? I dunno, maybe I got that wrong.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

dan markowitz writes:

Paul v Kei match is super tennis, with both guys moving like cheetahs. But I watched for more than a set and I can't remember either guy coming up to net on his own volition. How about a little variety guys? I mean the court is super fast and yet both of these guys absolutely refuse to hit an approach shot, volley or overhead.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

jg writes:

Right, imagine Federer on this court? But Paul is pretty impressive

 

[TFBlogGuest]

jg writes:

Paul beat Mueller on the grandstand which is supposed to be faster, go figure.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

Meanwhile on the practice court today, Kyrgios told the fans, "I used to be good, man. My girlfriend dumped me and now I can't play." I guess Tomljanovic ditched him after Kyrgios went out at Wimbledon with a couple of younger girls. That was in the tabloids if you missed it. Also Jack Sock defended his buddy Kyrgios today by saying maybe he is homesick! Scoop, you buying that excuse, ha!

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Tommy Paul? Match pts on Nishikori? Two weeks in a row of solid ATP wins? Even if as Catherine says, the mice are playing, and I think that's true, seeing Sock knock off Raonic, Paul get a second ATP QF and nearly his first semifinal - close but no cigar - I mean sheesh.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Kyrgios practicing? You know he's hit rock bottom.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Meanwhile out at Stanford...Bellis vs Coco in one semi.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Hartt, Peliwo and Bester in Rogers qualies and many Canadians I've never seen before.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

And, Canada, Escobedo vs Christian Harrison. Escobedo's had a rough few months. Christian might make this a battle.