This archive report was first published on 31 August 2019.
At the 2019 U.S. Open, Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev made headlines for his on-court antics, which included snatching a towel from a ball man and holding up his middle finger at the crowd. The incident earned him a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Despite the controversy, Medvedev went on to win the match against Feliciano López in four sets. In an on-court interview, he sarcastically thanked the crowd for their energy, saying, 'First of all I can say thank you all, guys, because your energy tonight gave me the win.' He also claimed that the crowd's boos had given him the motivation to win his next five matches.
Medvedev's behavior was met with widespread criticism, but he remained unapologetic, saying, 'The crowd was electric — even the bad energy.' He also credited the crowd's energy for his win, stating that he needed to 'turn it into good energy, and that's why I won.'
Meanwhile, top-seeded Novak Djokovic also faced a less-than-supportive fan during his practice session. However, instead of getting frustrated, Djokovic confronted the heckler and even credited him with helping him gain inspiration for his match against Denis Kudla.
As the U.S. Open continues, it will be interesting to see how Medvedev and Djokovic fare in their respective matches. Will Medvedev's antics continue to spark controversy, or will he be able to channel the crowd's energy into a winning streak?
