Alexander Zverev fires shots at Daniil Medvedev and claims he broke sportsman’s code’ Alexander Zverev has continued his battle with Daniil Medvedev off the court after losing a tight three-set battle in their Monte Carlo Masters clash. The German failed to capitalise on two match points as Medvedev won 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) in a late-night finish. Zverev has now slammed Medvedev’s on-court behaviour and blasted the world No 5’s lack of sportsmanship.
Alexander Zverev fires shots at Daniil Medvedev and claims he broke sportsman’s code
Medvedev earned his eighth career win over Zverev in a fiery Monte Carlo third-round clash on Thursday night. The third seed saved two match points and came from a set down to defeat the German in a final set tiebreak.
The dramatic match also saw Medvedev remove a pole on the net in frustration, shush the crowd and run off during a changeover to take a toilet break after he had run out of his allotted bathroom break time. And his behaviour earned him heavy criticism from his opponent, as Zverev put the recent Miami Open champion on blast.
“He is one of the most unfair players in the world,” the world No 16 told Sky Sports Germany. “I take fair play and sportmanship very serious. He does not.”
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Zverev took aim Medvedev’s decision to run to the bathroom and back during a change of ends, despite the 27-year-old managing to return to the court before time was called – meaning he didn’t receive any warnings. The 13th seed added: “He takes a toilet break when it’s not possible anymore.
“There are 1000 situations in which he feels that I start to play better and in which he tries to do something every time.” While the 25-year-old admitted that it was his own fault when he blew his two match points, he continued to fire shots at his opponent.
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“I’m extremely disappointed from him as an athlete,” he said of the former world No 1. “Of course you can argue that it’s not good from me that I get distracted. 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 will now face Holger Rune in Friday’s quarter-final as he bids to reach the last four in Monte Carlo for the second time. The world No 5 has lost just one match since the Aussie Open – the final of Indian Wells.
