Australian Open 2023: Can Daniil Medvedev win over Melbourne fans after ‘low IQ’ sledge?

Twelve months ago, Daniil Medvedev threatened to never return to Melbourne, calling out local fans for their intellectual ability.

Daniil Medvedev after last year’s final. Picture: Martin Keep/AFP

Daniil Medvedev is the tall Russian who plays long points and has a short fuse.

At last year’s flammable Australian Open he replaced Novak Djokovic as the tournament’s villain.

By the end of an unsavoury fortnight a deflated Medvedev declared he might be done with grand slams.

“The kid stopped dreaming. The kid is going to play for himself,” Medvedev said.

“From now on I’m playing for myself, for my family, to provide (for) my family, for people that trust in me,” he said.

“If there is a tournament on hard courts in Moscow before Roland Garros or Wimbledon, I’m going to go there even if I miss Wimbledon or Roland Garros.”

It was 2.30am after a pro-Rafael Nadal crowd at Rod Laver Arena had just lost its mind at the Spaniard’s comeback in an epic 5h4 24min final.

The 2021 US Open champion and two-time AO finalist sat in the Melbourne Park media centre feeling deceived and disrespected.

For years the world had been screaming out for a new wave of stars to finally challenge the ‘Big Three’ and when Medvedev did just that he was hissed and booed here.

Daniil Medvedev after last year’s final. Picture: Martin Keep/AFP

“Well, I guess these people were lying because every time I stepped on the court in these big matches, I really didn’t see much people who wanted me to win,” he said.

“I’m just going to give one small example. Before Rafa serves, even in the fifth set, there would be like one guy screaming, ‘C’mon, Daniil’ – and a thousand people would be like, ‘Tsss, tsss, tsss’.

“It’s disrespectful, it’s disappointing. I’m not sure after 30 years I’m going to want to play tennis.”

Last year’s crowd treatment bordered on bullying although Medvedev’s $17,000 fine for a semi-final meltdown showed he doesn’t always help himself.

He also said some in the Melbourne crowds “have a low IQ” and told a chair umpire that hecklers have “empty brains … their lives must be very bad”.

Not exactly endearing himself, was he?

Thankfully, Daniil’s determination won out and he returned to Melbourne Park.

But perhaps if he did walk away he could’ve traded his racquet for a microphone in front of a brick wall at a comedy club.

Perhaps Medvedev is simply misunderstood.

Remember that tweet during the Wimbledon final last year?

As Djokovic battled Nick Kyrgios for a crown that all Russians and Belarusians were banned from competing for, Medvedev posted a video of himself watching the British GP with a wall of glittering tennis silverware in the background

Remember last year’s sledge to chair umpire Jeims Campistol? Medvedev called him a “small cat” for not taking action against Stefanos Tsitsipas and his father’s illegal court-side coaching.

With Medvedev on the nose, even Campistol scored social points off him for returning serve with a Sydney selfie and a cat emoji.

But seriously … how witty and clever do you have to be to call someone a “small cat” in your second or third language (he also speaks French) during the heat of an outburst?

Daniil Medvedev had a running battle with the Australian Open crowd. Picture: Michael Klein

Then, there was the muscle gag on Wednesday night. After acing Aussie fighter John Millman to win 7-5 6-2 6-2 the 26-year-old lifted up his shorts to show off his thigh muscles.

It was taking the mickey out of himself after Marton Fucsovic’ shirtless flex where he looked more like Thor than a tennis player.

You see, the Hungarian (188cm and 82kg) has bulging biceps whereas Medvedev, who stands 198cm and just 83kg, has toned thighs that allow him to endure almost any opponent.

The lanky No.7 seed will happily camp behind the baseline and run his opponents ragged.

The litmus test for the Medvedev might come against Sebastian Korda on Rod Laver Arena under the Friday night lights.

Can he complete a reputational U-turn?

In two faultless matches so far he’s dropped just 12 games, and so you get the feeling the image overhaul project could extend well into next week.

Originally published as Australian Open 2023: Can Daniil Medvedev win over Melbourne fans after ‘low IQ’ sledge?