PARIS: There will be no flags or fanfares for Daniil Medvedev at the Paris Olympics, but Russia's most famous athlete is likely to be close to the headlines in the French capital.
The tennis star, like other Russians and Belarusians, has to compete in the games as a neutral participant due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Because they had proven that they did not support the war and had no connections to the military, they were allowed to take part in the competition but were not allowed to fly their national flag.
The national anthems of both countries are also banned and if Medvedev wins an Olympic medal for the first time, the achievement will not be recognized in the medal table.
“When I'm 40 and can say that I played at the Olympics in Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles and had a lot of fun in my life and career, I will be happy,” Medvedev said.
The 28-year-old world number five is one of the most controversial players in tennis.
The 6ft 6in giant was nearly disqualified from his Wimbledon semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz this month for a vulgar tirade towards the referee, but escaped with a warning.
Medvedev said he called the official “a little cat.”
Due to his explosive temperament, he came into conflict with his rivals Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev.
After Tsitsipas made a rude remark about Medvedev in Miami in 2018, the Russian dismissed the Greek as a “little boy who doesn't know how to play.”
His rivalry with Zverev reached its peak in Monte Carlo last year, when Medvedev fended off two match points in a thrilling round of 16 victory.
German Zverev sharply attacked Medvedev for taking a toilet break at a crucial moment in the match and called the Russian “one of the most unfair players in the world”.
Medvedev hit back, telling the current world number 4 to “look at yourself in the mirror.”
In the Netflix series “Break Point,” Zverev accused Medvedev of playing “dirty games,” adding: “He's someone who knows how to play with the opponent's head.”
Crowds around the world have not escaped Medvedev's wrath.
At last year’s Paris Masters, he called fans “stupid” for booing during one of his matches.
Although he indicated that he would stop his fight, he agreed to continue, but warned his tormentors: “Shut up, okay!”
Despite his fiery personality, the chess-playing and fluent French-speaking Medvedev has reached the pinnacle of the sport.
He won his only major title at the 2021 US Open, effortlessly defeating Novak Djokovic in the final, denying the Serb a rare Grand Slam on the calendar.
True to his unorthodox style, Medvedev celebrated his victory in New York by dropping to the ground at Arthur Ashe Stadium and imitating the “dead fish” celebration from a FIFA video game.
Medvedev has come agonizingly close to expanding his major collection.
In the final of this year’s Australian Open, he gave up a two-set lead and lost to Jannik Sinner.
Two years ago, he had a two-set lead over Rafael Nadal in Melbourne, but then lost again in five sets.
Nadal defeated him again in five sets in the final of the 2019 US Open.
Outside of the Slams, Medvedev is one of only six men, along with Djokovic, Roger Federer, Nadal, Andre Agassi and Andy Murray, to have won six or more Masters titles.
When he was world No. 1 for 16 weeks in 2022, he became the first man in 18 years to reach the top spot, alongside Djokovic, Federer, Murray and Nadal.
At the Paris Olympics, which begin on Friday, Medvedev believes his best chance of a medal lies in doubles rather than singles, on a clay court that has often been alien to his game.
“I will prepare intensively for the doubles and mixed doubles because I believe I have better chances there than in the singles at Roland Garros,” he said.
