Daniil Medvedev had some fun with the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on Friday night — but a few of them got on his nerves a bit.
Medvedev clinched a 7-6 (3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the U.S. Open semifinal, and after he pumped up the crowd in the moments after the winning shot, he had some words for the vocal supporters of the Spaniard.
“I have to be honest, the crowd was unbelievable today. Like absolutely unbelievable and I mean it. We had some crazy points, I felt, let’s call it love to both sides,” Medvedev said in his post-match interview broadcast on ESPN.
“The only thing is probably 1,000 Spanish guys started at 5-3 screaming during first and second serves. That’s not so nice. I guess they were desperate, so I’m happy it didn’t help them. They can go to sleep now.”
It’s not the first time Medvedev has had fun with the Flushing crowd, and going back to the 2019 tournament, he threw some shade at his detractors.
After a late-night third-round win then, Medvedev said he fed off the opposing fans.
“I want all of you to know when you sleep tonight, I won because of you,” he said in a post-match interview then. “The energy you’re giving me right now, guys, I think it will be enough for my five next matches. The more you do this, the more I will win — for you guys.”
Friday night’s crowd in his match against Alcaraz featured plenty of famous folks, including Tom Brady, Kevin Durant and Charlize Theron.
Whether the crowd is on his side Sunday, he will look for his second U.S. Open title when he takes on Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion in Queens.
“The challenge is you play a guy who has won 23 Grand Slams and I have only one,” Medvedev said on his upcoming final.
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