Miami Open: Daniil Medvedev Has the Perfect Response to Why He Has Less Fans Than Carlos Alcaraz

Although at the peak of their careers, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz have a stark difference between them. Both have reached the World Number 1 ranking and lost it shortly after achieving it. Despite this, both Medvedev and Alcaraz are among the top players on the ATP Tour currently. However, Alcaraz has had greater support from fans than Medvedev, a fact that the latter discussed recently.

While Alcaraz has fans across the globe, Medvedev is often booed in the stadium during his matches. Nonetheless, the Russian star manages to maintain his focus on the court. Here’s what he had to say about it.

Daniil Medvedev takes a cheeky dig at Carlos Alcaraz

Over the years, the two stars have gone on to become strong rivals on the tennis court. Often, Alcaraz gets strong support from the fans present inside the stadium. It has also helped the Spaniard in having a superior record over Medvedev, winning 4 of the 6 matches played. During an interview, Medvedev explained why Alcaraz was more popular than him, saying, “People want to see beautiful shots, that’s why Alcaraz quickly got a lot of fans.”

Further, he went on to add, “I could do it too but I don’t think I would have the same results. And the result is more important to me than the aesthetic of shots.”

With contrasting styles of play, Daniil Medvedev felt that his rigid nature of play was one of the reasons that didn’t attract many fans. On the contrary, Alcaraz has a free-flowing style, something which the fans love to watch, making him a popular choice to support during the matches.

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev has had many interactions with the crowd in the stadium during his matches. One such incident occurred at the Paris Masters last year, that led to him venting out frustration.

When Medvedev was caught in an unfortunate situation

The Russian star was up against Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 32 clash at the Paris Masters last year. However, he lost a tough match in three sets. During the match, Medvedev was captured showing his middle finger to the Parisian crowd. Subsequently, he was booed strongly by the fans present there.

DIVE DEEPER: ‘Like a Fish in the Sea’- Hard-Court Specialist Daniil Medvedev Oozes Confidence as Familiar Territory Welcomes Him With Open Arms

Explaining that incident, he said, “I mean, it’s normal that I should be booed. But if I’m serving and they applaud and I’m being booed, that’s another kettle of fish. But everybody knows that we lack focus when that happens. Not everyone likes to play here in Paris for this reason. I played in Bercy much better when there was no crowd at all in attendance.”

Further, the 28-year-old will look for some support as he faces Jannik Sinner in the Miami Open semifinals. Their match will take place in the Stadium later today.