US Open 2019: Medvedev had to leave ‘heart out there’ for Flushing Meadows crowd
Daniil Medvedev repaired his seemingly broken relationship with the US Open crowd by leaving his heart on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
At the end of his third-round match with Feliciano Lopez, Daniil Medvedev’s relationship with the US Open fans seemed fractured beyond repair.
Hearing the boos that provided the soundtrack to his post-match on-court interview at Louis Armstrong Stadium after he had directed a middle-finger gesture at the fans following a disagreement with the umpire, it was impossible to believe Medvedev would be talking about leaving his heart out there for the New York crowd.
Yet that is what the Russian felt he had to do as he battled back from two sets down in a captivating five-set defeat to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.
Medvedev seemed dead and buried in the match when he trailed 3-2 in the third having gone a break down.
The 23-year-old looked a spent force, but immediately responded and fought back magnificently. His name rang round Arthur Ashe Stadium as he recovered to win the third set, and a frenetic thrill ride of a final then swung dramatically in his direction as a punishing return gave him the decisive break in the fourth.
Nadal returned to being the crowd favourite as an enthralling match moved towards a nail-biting conclusion, with Medvedev unable to take advantage of break points at 1-1 and as the Spaniard served out the match.
“They were cheering me up like crazy. I knew I have to leave my heart out there for them….I’m thankful to them for this.”
–@DaniilMedwed on the #USOpen crowd pic.twitter.com/4OsHAmbcsg
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2019
Though he ultimately fell short in attempting to erase a 5-2 deficit in the decider, Medvedev’s incredible effort and fighting spirit saw him definitively win back the affections of the Flushing Meadows public.
Speaking after his 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 loss, Medvedev was asked if he could have imagined having his name chanted by the crowd last week.
He replied: “I was being myself. I was fighting for every point. I think they appreciated it. Being break down in the third, I won the game, and I felt that these guys wanted some more tennis. They were cheering me up like crazy.
“I knew I had to leave my heart out there for them also. For myself first of all, but for them also. I think they saw it and they appreciate it. I’m thankful to them for this.
“The only thing going through my mind at this moment was I have to win next point, I have to win next game. I was not thinking too much, ‘Okay, I’m from Russia, I’m in USA, they are cheering my name, what should I do?’ No.
“It was a pleasure to be out there tonight. They were sometimes cheering my name, sometimes they were going for Rafa. I think it was just because the arena is so huge, there were so many people cheering both names, it was like changing all the time. I don’t think it will be same people cheering two different names from one point to another.
“The atmosphere was the best of my life, I have to say.”
And even after all that
He’s won over this New York crowd….@DaniilMedwed | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/0Fxixw4Mzt
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2019
Medvedev demonstrated incredible levels of endurance during his four hours, 49 minutes on court.
Asked if he could see himself competing at the same level at 33 years old, as Nadal continues to do, Medvedev said: “I do see myself at 33 years running and competing like Rafael Nadal.
“Although Rafa said it himself, that he changed his game a lot from younger age to be able to compete at the highest level. Maybe I’ll have to do the same. This I cannot know.”
