Russia's Medvedev hopes for more support from federation for budding stars

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev believes Russian tennis will benefit if the country’s tennis federation shows more support to the fledgling tennis players from the country.

Daniil Medvedev..."The federation supports players who get to the top, but it should be the other way."

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev believes Russian tennis will benefit if the country’s tennis federation shows more support to the fledgling tennis players from the country.

Speaking on the sidelines in the Chennai Open, 99th ranked Medvedev said, “The federation supports players who get to the top, but it should be the other way. It should support the youngsters, who once get to the top can always maintain it themselves and say thanks to the federation.”

Medvedev expressed optimism about the future of Russian tennis, with many young promising stars - the likes of Andrey Kuznetsov, Karen Khachanov and himself - on the horizon.

'Good competition'

“We are trying our best; we know each other since we were quite young and have been playing our tennis together since we were 10–year-olds. When one of us does good, the others try to catch him up so there is some good competition.” Medvedev said.

He perhaps took the competitive spirit too far when he had once questioned the umpire’s decision in an ATP Challenger game last year, calling her friends with his black opponent. He was accused of racism. “I made a mistake and I have learnt from it, whatever happened is in the past. I started to play good tennis after that, so I don’t think much about it now,” Medvedev said.

Mevedev was pumped up for his first ATP semifinal, at the Chennai Open. He will take on Israel’s Dudi Sela on Saturday.