WATCH: Daniil Medvedev ‘heads’ the ball to steal a point against Tommy Paul at the China Open 2023

Medvedev made a stunning comeback at the China Open on Friday, defeating Tommy Paul with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

WATCH: Daniil Medvedev ‘heads’ the ball to steal a point against Tommy Paul at the China Open 2023

Daniil Medvedev (Credit: Twitter/@TennisTV)

World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev plugged a lighthearted moment into his match against Tommy Paul at the China Open, in an unexpected and lighthearted turn of events. With the ball careening towards his side and victory slipping away, Medvedev made a fun move, opting to “head” the ball in a gesture that made the audience grin despite his eventual defeat.

The match, which was taking place in Beijing, was already in full swing when this unexpected incident occurred. Medvedev tried to return Paul’s shot by a backhand, but the ball could not go much farther and was about to fall in his side of court. Instead of letting the ball fall, Medvedev decided to inject some levity into the proceedings. He diverted the ball over the net with a wonderfully timed header, surprising both his opponent and the fans.

https://youtu.be/QM4wYKKRf-I?si=I986IgixQP61X4M1

The crowd burst into laughter and applause after initially gasping at the unusual action. While the point was technically awarded to Paul, Medvedev’s lighthearted gesture served as a reminder that, even in the middle of fierce competition, there are opportunities for a little fun on the court.

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Daniil Medvedev’s commanding return to China

After a four-year absence from Chinese courts, Medvedev made a stunning comeback at the China Open on Friday, defeating Tommy Paul with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev (Credit: Tennis.com)

Medvedev’s return to the Chinese tennis circuit was nothing short of remarkable, with a stunning display of clean-hitting to secure his 39th hard-court win of the season in just 81 minutes. The 27-year-old Russian showed excellent consistency, making only three unforced errors off the ground, putting his opponent, Tommy Paul, under constant pressure throughout the match.

Reflecting in the post-match interview, Medvedev acknowledged the challenges faced by both players, stating, “It’s not easy for both of us. Both of us a little jet-lagged. Him maybe more, coming from Vancouver. Maybe that made the difference, but if I think only about myself, I’m happy with my level.“

Despite his attempts to counter Medvedev’s baseline skill by regularly attacking the net and winning an astonishing 79% of points pushing forward (23/29), Paul struggled to establish a foothold in the match. Medvedev took advantage of the opportunities, converting five of the 11 break points he won, cementing his dominance.

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