World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev reacted to being booed by fans for bringing Novak Djokovic up after his victory against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Medvedev staged one of the Australian Open’s best comebacks when he beat Auger-Aliassime in an insane five-set match. Finding himself down two sets and getting dominated, he rallied back and took the next three to triumph 6-7 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-4.
By winning the match, he set up an epic semi-final showdown with Greek superstar Stefanos Tsitsipas. After the match, he told commentator Jim Courier that he channelled the spirit of Djokovic to win, something that didn’t sit well with him.
Medvedev reacted to being booed by fans for bringing Djokovic up, saying he turned to the one guy who thrives under hate.
“I was not playing my best and Felix was playing unbelievable,” Medvedev explained, as quoted by WA Today.
“He was all over me, to be honest. He was all over the place. I didn’t know what to do.
“I don’t know if people gonna (sic) like it, but I told myself ‘What Novak would do?’”
He who shall not be named
As soon as Djokovic’s name left his mouth, Medvedev was subjected to a chorus of boos, at which point he quickly tried to make up for it.
“Or Rafa or Roger, to be honest – they won so many matches like this,” he said.
“Okay, I’m going to make him work. If he wants to win it, he has to fight to the last point.
“I had zero confidence after the two sets. He was playing insane, like better than I have ever seen him play, at least against me or in practice.
“And I was there between the sets, and as I say, zero confidence in myself and the outcome of the match. I was like, ‘What would the best players in the world do?’
“I was like: Just be like Novak. Show him that you are better. And it won’t work,” he concluded.
Read more: Murray slams Tsitsipas for dirty tactics – “I lost respect for him”