Daniil Medvedev
, a former world number one, faces Alexander Zverev for a place in the quarterfinals of the
Indian Wells Masters 1000
.
While the match is being played, a sequence went viral on the networks.
The Russian vehemently complained to the umpire for the slowness of the court surface, in a match that also had him on the ground, suffering a sprained ankle that required medical attention.
In a video you can see how Medvedev protests to the umpire almost shouting, causing the astonishment of Zverev and the public present.
"This court is a disgrace to the sport. Playing here should be banned. It's a shame to say it's fast. I'll go to the bathroom slow and I don't care if I get warnings. If they let us play here, I can afford to do whatever I want." Medvedev is heard saying it, shocked.
After losing the first set due to a tie break, Medvedev had to receive medical attention and there were doubts about his continuity in the match.
It was after a brutal fall in which he tripped and twisted his right ankle.
That play seemed to revive the former number 1, who quickly managed to match the actions and took the second set with several incredible points, including one that goes directly to the best of the year: the Russian recovered in defense and finished off the goal with a smash from the end of the court that turned into a passing shot impossible for Zverev to reach.
The curse in Indian Wells
Medvedev, 27, is experiencing his best form since his formidable 2021, when he won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
The Moscow tennis player has accumulated three titles and 21 matches won at the start of the season, the highest number on the circuit, the last 16 consecutively.
Indian Wells, however, is his big pending issue in hard court tournaments.
The Russian has never been comfortable with the conditions in the Californian desert and has always crashed before the quarterfinals.
In recent days, Medvedev once again protested the slowness of the court, a factor that Zverev was responsible for exploiting, who continues to try to recover his best tennis after the serious ankle injury that sidelined him from the second half of last season.