“When we called Danya for dinner, he shouted:“ Mom, I play with Nadal. I’ll finish – I’ll come! ”
At the end of the year, 100 SE journalists traditionally determined the best athlete of Russia-2019. They became tennis player Daniil Medvedev. In 2019, he broke into the top 4 of the world ranking, performed in the finals of the US Open and won four ATP tournaments. The observer “SE met with the parents and sister of one of the main characters of the year.
Parents of Daniil Medvedev – about how he grew into a world star and rival Nadal in the US Open final
Daniil Medvedev.
Olga Medvedeva: “Daniel came to tennis by announcement”
Letter from father
“Dania, I sympathize with you very much. But I think you can do it, you have to be strong. But it’s impossible in another way, I want to live well, but now I have felt fame. She just touched you with a wing so far.
Be strong and do not become limp.
Learn the lessons.
I didn’t watch the match, but in every game I haven’t even seen, I represent you very well.
Because the father, all the time was together until the age of 21, saw a lot and not quite a fool.
Probably switched to the throwing mode and waiting for the opponent’s mistakes?
And with such players this does not work. They have an iron hardened nervous system.
Give them the initiative – then you won’t return it.
They need only to continue to be crushed by activity, even from the last forces.
I am sure that everything will go for the future. Although this tactical mistake of yours is repeated from year to year.
For futures level tournaments, it happens often.
But leading ATP players very rarely allow this.
Well, nothing, think and learn. ”
Such a letter, Sergei Medvedev, the father of the new Russian tennis superstar Daniil Medvedev, sent his son after his shock defeat against Rafael Nadal at the final ATP tournament in London. The same thing, when in the third decisive set, leading 5: 1 and having a match ball, Medvedev relaxed, gave one game, another – and then “fell in pieces” and in an incredible way lost the already won match.
You read this – and you understand that all these lives have been invested in these short, capacious phrases, all the years that the tennis player’s parents put their child to be what the whole world recognized him last year. And that even in the very vicinity of the top of tennis Everest every day is a study. Sometimes – cruel, merciless. Like in this set with Nadal. Another phenomenal match of Medvedev with which, five-set in the US Open final, under the fiery comment of Marat Safin was watched by all of Russia. And, although Rafa won, not a single person considered Daniel a loser.
All the same that you just read in the letter, Papa could tell his son personally, but because of bureaucratic delays, the Russians did not have time to apply for an English visa in time. Sergei and Olga Medvedev sent to the British visa center in Paris, where they submitted all the documents in advance, a letter of claim, but this did not help much: in the end, they got to London after the son flew out of the tournament. To the finale.
And shortly before that, we with them, as well as with Medvedev’s sister Elena, sat down for three hours at a conversation in the coffee shop of the airport in Nice. Parents of the tennis player returned to the Cote d’Azur, where they have been living in recent years, from Paris – from the first tournament in a long time, in which Dania did not reach the decisive match, losing in the second round. Elena, who will soon become a mother for the second time, met them.
It was during that period that wild fatigue began to affect after six exits to the finals in a row, which led to three defeats at the final tournament in London and the decision not to participate in the Kremlin Cup or the Davis Cup at all. The correct one, in my opinion, is because only the tennis player himself can objectively assess his condition and understand whether he is able to please his fans, and in the second case, the team.
The greased ending of the year, however, did not greatly spoil the gigantic impression that Medvedev’s game had made on everyone before. And already in December, the traditional annual poll of SE journalists for the title of the best athlete of the year brought Daniel to the first place. When we talked with his parents, the survey has not even begun. But the bast turned out to be in line.
2004 year. Daniil Medvedev with his parents. Photo from the personal archive of the Medvedev family
2004 year. Daniil Medvedev with his parents. Photo from the personal archive of the Medvedev family
8 September. New York. Daniil Medvedev.
And the Americans shouted “Medvedev!” Our tennis player lost the crazy US Open final
The finals were not watched, otherwise you can’t stand it
In the very first phrase of the conversation, Medvedev-seniors hit me. When I suggested how they were worried during the US Open finals, Sergei suddenly said: “And we did not watch.” A bit later this, however, will turn out to be some cunning …
“Otherwise, you can’t stand it,” Olga explained. – This game with Nadal is something out of the ordinary. Five hours to play! For me, the best match is a quick match. Because I know that my son is not tired. If the match is up to two hours – still normal. More than two – I don’t like it anymore. Five hours – doesn’t climb into any gates.
