Daniil Medvedev admits he ‘apologized’ to chair umpire for rude behavior after disappointing Dubai Open exit

Tallon Griekspoor fended off 2023 Dubai Open champion Daniil Medvedev to progress to his eighth ATP semifinal.

Daniil Medvedev admits he ‘apologized’ to chair umpire for rude behavior after disappointing Dubai Open exit

Daniil Medvedev (Image via ATP/X)

Daniil Medvedev squandered four match points to lose the quarterfinal clash in Dubai Open to Tallon Griekspoor. En route to his tense 2-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 defeat, Medvedev lost his cool and yelled at the chair umpire.

Chair umpire Adel Nour handed him a code violation for his unsportsmanlike conduct. The 2023 Dubai champion then accused Nour of being ‘soft‘. When Nour asked him the reason, Medvedev repeated what he had said before, claiming that the umpire “had double standards against Russians.”

YouTube video

Nour heard it and said he treats every player exactly the same. Following his defeat, Medvedev admitted that he went too far and said everything “out of the blue.” He said that he has known Nour for a very long time and knows that the umpire doesn’t care where you’re from, who you are.

We talked, I apologized. I said that to be honest, I don’t remember everything I said, that’s true. And I’m not sure if there was something where I said something offensive, but if there was, I asked for forgiveness for it. I respect him as a judge. I won’t say what the problem was. Sometimes during a meeting, in the heat of the moment, things happen that seem unfair to you.

Daniil Medvedev told (H/T: Championat)

Medvedev was visibly disappointed with his defeat and right after the last point of the match, he flung the racket on the ground and destroyed it. With this defeat, Medvedev lost another chance to claim his first title of the season.

Tallon Griekspoor clinches biggest win of his career after beating Daniil Medvedev

Tallon Griekspoor has reached his eighth ATP Tour semifinal after beating Daniil Medvedev. After clinching his career-best win, Griekspoor has now set up a clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four.

Tallon Griekspoor
Tallon Griekspoor (Image via ATP/X)

I am super happy with this win. I had to fight off a couple of match points in the second set…Daniil is an unbelievable player and an unbelievable competitor. He’s been at the top of the rankings for so many years, so I’m very pleased with this win.

Tallon Griekspoor said during the on-court interview

Medvedev is yet to win a title since the 2023 Italian Open. Before eliminating the 2021 US Open champion, the Dutchman saved three match points against Roman Safiullin in the first round and fended off Ugo Humbert in the second round.

He has met his semifinal opponent Tsitsipas twice but was never successful against the Greek. The two-time Grand Slam finalist knocked out Matteo Berrettini to inch closer to his first ATP title since winning the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters.