Daniil Medvedev doesn't want to be "a selfish kid" after receiving warm Wimbledon reception

Ahead of his first-round match at Wimbledon, Daniil Medvedev was unsure how he’d be received a year after not being permitted to play due to his Russian nationality. In his pre-tournament press conference, the No. 3 seed spoke about staying true to himself when competing, for fans can see through deception.

“The more I play tennis, the more I feel like if you try to fake something to win the fans over, first of all, they [are] probably going to feel it, maybe if not straightaway but sooner or later,” he said. “You're going to, like, drown in these lies because you're not going to remember where you lied the last time. If you tell the truth, it's easier.

On Wednesday, Medvedev walked onto No.1 Court. Cheers came, though the former world No. 1 wasn’t sure how many were driven by the fact he entered alongside British wild card Arthur Fery. Once he went to the net to kick off proceedings, Medvedev had his answer.

“I think either when we went to the referee or something, I was kind of the first one, or I was the second one to come, and they were cheering me on in a way. I was like, ‘Okay, that's surprising,’” he recalled.

“During the match, I felt like that's normal, they really tried to help Arthur, to pump him up and something. There was zero let's say negative energy that I felt. I never had such a good reception at Wimbledon. It's much better than I had before. So that's great. I'm going to try to give them back, if I can say like this. Hopefully I can.”

I never had such a good reception at Wimbledon. —Daniil Medvedev

What does that entail exactly? Good etiquette, shotmaking for the highlight reels, enjoying himself out there? Perhaps it's a combination of all those components.

Explained Medvedev, “Not getting crazy and let's say—how can I explain it—not being probably a selfish kid on the court. Sometimes I can be. I'm going to try to give back [to] people here in Wimbledon and just try to show some good tennis.”

The 2021 US Open champion outmaneuvered Fery’s decision to constantly press the issue by coming forward in closing a out a 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 victory with 45 winners. The energy he felt from the crowd did its part and Medvedev won’t soon forget the experience.

“The reception today, what I felt, I don't feel it that often,” he said. “I was really, let's call it, touched by it. I'm going to remember it like for the next times.”