Alex Zverev calls out Daniil Medvedev as ‘one of the unfair players’

Alexander Zverev didn’t hold back about Daniil Medvedev after losing to the world No. 5 in the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday.

The German pro Zverev said Russia’s Medvedev is “one of the most unfair players in the world,” and took issue with his on-court behavior during a post-match interview with Sky Germany.

“I take fair play and sportsmanship very serious. He does not,” Zverev said, before mentioning Medvedev’s bathroom break in the third set.

“There are 1000 situations in which he feels that I start to play better and in which he tries to do something every time. I’m extremely disappointed from him as an athlete.”

Medvedev paused their match on two separate occasions.

He moved one of the net poles while down 5-4 in the second set, which prompted the umpire to leave his station and inspect the net.

The umpire did not assess Medvedev a warning because he said the pole did not break.

Meanwhile, Zverev was seen laughing amidst the delay.

Alexander Zverev of Germany plays a forehand against Daniil Medvedev in their third round match during day five of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 13, 2023 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

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Then, in the third set, Medvedev ran off the court for a bathroom break when both players were switching sides.

Zverev went on to take blame for the loss, explaining that he shouldn’t get distracted.

“Of course you argue that is not good form from me that I get distracted,” he said.

“This should not happen to me and it’s totally my fault and it really was bad from my side. But still I feel fair play should always be part of sports.”

Medvedev saved two match points on his way to a victory over Zverev 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) in the fiery match.

The Russian pro hit back at Zverev after defeating Holger Rune in straight-sets in the quarter-finals on Friday — and claimed other pros have approached him with jokes about the matter.

“Sascha is living in his own world,” Medvedev said, per Eurosport.com. “I already had like five players in the locker room coming to me and saying ‘come on, Daniil, why are you so unfair (smiling)?’”

“Sascha when he loses we can find maybe 25 interviews of him where he does say some strange things.

Daniil Medvedev of Russia plays a backhand against Germany’s Alexander Zverev in their third round match during day five of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 13, 2023 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

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“Again, honestly saying like if guys like Casper [Ruud], I don’t know, Andrey [Rublev], maybe Karen [Khachanov], even Diego [Schwartzman].

“I had, let’s call it a fight with him [Schwartzman], at the ATP Cup [in 2020]. Honestly, I’m at fault and probably he still doesn’t like me the way maybe he liked me before this match. I’m sorry that a guy like Diego, who’s so kind and so fair play, feels like this about me.

“Sascha is not this guy. Sascha is not like Casper, he’s not like Diego, he’s not like Andrey. When he says someone is not fair play, you’re like, okay, great. Look at yourself in the mirror.”

Medvedev added that he believes he has a lot of great friends on the tour.

“So I usually feel bad when something on court happens and let’s say I’m not fair play, because I know sometimes I’m not,” he said.

“Yesterday what the thing with the stick made him say this? Toilet [break], well I wanted to pee. And let’s take it step by step. So 2-2. No, 3-2 I have like five break points or whatever. He manages to hold. Congrats.

“Then I make the game 40-love for me. I go to the toilet, I lose next two games, he’s serving for the match, and he’s saying I’m going to the toilet to make him play worse.”

Medvedev also shushed the crowd in the 11th game of the second set. 

Explaining his gesture after the match, the 27-year-old said: “The thing is I saw Novak’s [Djokovic] match today and I was just talking to the referee about the mark. Some people start booing and I was like ‘I’m not going to play until you shut up.’

“After the Australian Open final, if something happens I don’t like, I’m like, ‘OK guys, you can do whatever but I’m not going to play until you stop. As long as there is sound I’m not going to play.’”

Medvedev added that although he doesn’t care much about the situation, he would meet with Zverev in the locker room to talk it out. 

“It doesn’t disappoint me at all, but again, if in one week he’s going to continue saying, well, I’m going to come to him in the locker room and say ‘let’s discuss what’s wrong.’

“Tell me, I’m gonna tell you, and maybe we never gonna speak again and we are gonna be enemies or whatever. But at this moment I don’t care much.”