ATP Finals: Daniil Medvedev gets ‘zero pleasure’ on court, says every match a ‘struggle’
When asked later if he was hoping for the season to end, the Russian, whose behaviour was jeered by the crowd, replied: ‘100 per cent’
US Open finalist Taylor Fritz frustrated Daniil Medvedev to the point that the Russian smashed his racquet and was docked a point in a 6-4, 6-3 victory for the American in the opening match of the ATP Finals in Turin on Sunday.
Champion in 2020 and finalist the following year, world No 4 Medvedev destroyed his racquet after going a set down and things went from bad to worse when Fritz broke serve to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.
“I have this every day, day in, day out, since like two, three years,” Medvedev said. “Every practice is a struggle.
“Every match is a struggle. Now I feel zero pleasure of being on the court. I was like, ‘Whatever, I lost the match. I don’t care’.”
Medvedev was docked a penalty point for throwing his racquet at a courtside microphone and during game seven of the second set he held a new racquet by its head while waiting for Fritz’s serve.
The first set had been virtually dead even until the final game when Medvedev hit three double-faults to hand the set to Fritz. Medvedev then went over to his bench in a fit of rage.
