Australian Open 2021 - 'I was losing it' - Daniil Medvedev on bust-up with coach during match

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 13/02/2021 at 11:16 GMT

There was an astonishing moment during Daniil Medvedev's win over Filip Krajinovic as he rowed with his coach, who ended up leaving the stadium in Melbourne. The hot-headed Medvedev could not contain his frustration with his coach and screamed at him to, "Let me play!", and he has now explained all in the Eurosport Cube.

Daniil Medvedev had a furious bust-up with his coach during his match against Filip Krajinovic in the third round of the 2021 Australian Open, and he has told Eurosport all about it.

The fourth seed had to dig deep to battle past Krajinovic on Saturday, but came through, 6-3 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0.

The Russian forced his coach Gilles Cervara from the empty stands in Rod Laver Arena following several rants in his direction in a tempestuous feud.

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Medvedev screamed at his coach in various languages at different stages of the match, with perhaps the most striking line coming at a changeover:

Will you let me play? Let me play!

'Let me play!' - Astonishing moment Medvedev tells his coach to leave stadium

He later told Barbara Schett and Mats Wilander in the Eurosport Cube that it was actually his fault, but that he needed someone to vent his frustration at.

"To be honest, for sure first of all it's me being angry at myself," he told Eurosport.

"When you're on the tennis court in the heat of the moment you're always trying to find somebody that makes mistakes for you, so you never blame yourself.

"That's tennis players, but I think he did a good job because I was losing it a little bit. I've been working on being calm for a long time and I think I've made a lot of progress.

He left so I could not have this distraction, because I would have nobody to argue with, even if my wife stayed!

"For sure we are going to discuss it, what I feel, what he feels, and what should have been done better. I'm sure we'll continue working in a good way being good friends outside the court."

'I was losing it' - Medvedev on bust-up with coach

Medvedev will next take on American Mackenzie McDonald in the last 16 at Melbourne Park.

In completing the heated victory, the 25-year-old extended his winning streak to 17 matches and reached the fourth round.

Russia could end up with an Open era record four men in the last 16 of a Grand Slam, with Medvedev leading the charge of his compatriots.

Medvedev absolutely furious, shouts wildly at his box

It was far from the first time that Medvedev has become embroiled in a mid-match row with his coach, but on one of the biggest stages in the sport it's still remarkable.

Perhaps the way Cervara walked out of the stadium suggested he was not particularly shocked by what unravelled between the pair.

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