Medvedev: “I didn’t see Holger apologise”

Let’s be honest, there wasn’t much to remember about the BNP Paribas Open quarter-final between Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune, played in conditions too windy to reach the highest level of play. History will note the Russian’s victory and the little incident between the two men at the net at the very start of the second set.

A banal story, an ordinary story, practically as old as tennis itself: that of one player lighting up the other at the net at point-blank range. Medvedev didn’t take kindly to Rune’s treatment of him and let him know it, with plenty of gestures to back it up and even, as a bonus, a little imitation of the Dane’s tight shorts.

Medvedev hadn’t actually seen that Rune had apologised, and everything was finally put right when the umpire, Carlos Bernardes, told him so.

“It is what it is,” said the world No 4, adding: “I didn’t see him say sorry, so for sure I get a ball in me, which is not a problem, this can happen. Usually, ‘Sorry, sorry!’ whatever. I didn’t see it, but he did it.

“I didn’t know [he apologised]. I get crazy, I get mad. Carlos tells me he said sorry, he tells me he said sorry. I say sorry that I didn’t see you say sorry. And all is done. I don’t think there is a continuation to this story.”

Perhaps it was also a way for Medvedev, as is often the case, to get the adrenalin flowing, to bring out the best in himself and finally win and reach the semi-finals (against Tommy Paul). This will be his first Masters 1000 since his success in Rome last year, which also remains his last title to date.

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