“I saw Iga’s match. I didn’t watch her interview. It was a great match and a great comeback, but I didn’t see the interview,” Medvedev said, before giving his two cents on the crowd.
“I think it’s very tough, because there are two ways. So right now, in a way, there are, like, the kind of, I would say, unofficial rule – or actually an official rule, don’t interrupt players before second serve and when they’re ready to serve and during the point.”
While Medvedev is a fan of the rule, he admitted that players would get used to the noise if it was constant. He continued: “Personally, I like it. Because I think, I don’t know if there are other sports than tennis and golf that have it, but because it’s so technical and, like, I would say every millimetre of a movement you change, the ball is going to go different side.
“So, you know, if someone screams in your ear, your serve, you could double fault. That’s as easy as that. That’s not good. At the other side, if there would be no this rule and it would be allowed all the time, I think we would get used to it.”
But that isn’t the case in Paris, where the world No. 5 says players feel unsettled when the silence isn’t respected. “Now what happens is that 95 per cent of matches, tournaments, it’s quiet. And then when suddenly you come to Roland Garros and it’s not, it disturbs you, and it’s a Grand Slam so you get more stress and it’s not easy,” he added.
“If you ask me, I like it quiet. I like it quiet. Again, even when the crowd goes crazy, the other player’s ready to serve, quiet and let’s serve, let’s play. There is no in between. It either should be quiet or super loud but all the time, and then we would get used to it, I would get used to it also, and we would not actually complain about it. Yeah, for the moment it’s quiet.”
Medvedev also thought that it was even more difficult when facing a home player in France. “I think playing French in Roland Garros is not easy. That’s for sure. I think a lot of players experience it,” he smiled.
“I would say that in US Open and Wimbledon is not the same. Australia can be tough. I played Thanasi once there on the small court. It was, whew, brutal.” But the 2021 US Open champion was happy to hear the fans’ support, so long as it didn’t interrupt the points.
“It’s good to have energy between points, but then when you’re ready to serve, it’s okay, let’s finish it and let’s play tennis. Same before first and second serve. And then when there is a changeover, when there is between points, go unleash yourself fully, it’s okay.”
