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Uproar over 'pathetic' act during ATP champion's victory speech

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·5-min read
Daniil Medvedev, pictured here after winning the title at the ATP Finals.
Daniil Medvedev was interrupted while delivering his victory speech at the ATP Finals. Image: Getty

Fans and commentators were left gobsmacked after the finale at the ATP Finals when Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem were both cut off during post-match speeches.

Medvedev claimed the biggest title of his career as he fought back from a set down to defeat Thiem in an absorbing climax to the year-end tournament in London.

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Thiem looked on course to add the ATP’s prestigious season-ender to his recent US Open title, but 24-year-old Medvedev turned the tide in superb fashion to prevail 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

While the match was first-class, the post-match presentation was anything but.

Commentators were left stunned when the emcee wrapped up Thiem during his runner-up speech, before cutting Medvedev off midway through his victory speech.

Both players were made to rush through their speeches, with Thiem getting very little time at the microphone at all before music started playing to usher him away.

Medvedev then started his speech by thanking his team, but before he could continue the emcee tried to interject.

The Russian star pushed on anyway, noting how little time Thiem got to speak.

“Yeah, also I wanted to say thanks to all the organisers and to Dominic. His speech was very fast, so we are both very happy with everything that’s happened here,” he said.

When interrupted a second time, Medvedev said: “And last, but not least, sorry, I always said if here in London it would be an amazing story for the tournament here for 11 years that the first champion would be Russian and the last champion would be Russian too.”

Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev, pictured here after the final of the ATP Finals.
Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev celebrate with their trophies after the final of the ATP Finals. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tennis writers Jose Morgado and Ben Rothenberg led the condemnation of the bizarre scenes.

“Medvedev got cut too. This is ridiculous,” Morgado tweeted.

Rothenberg added: “Both players getting cut off mid-speech in the trophy ceremony feels like a fittingly unsatisfying end to this weird-ass season of tennis.

“The emcee tried to cut off Medvedev several more times once he resumed.

“The heck is the rush? Nobody is playing tennis again for a long time.”

Fans described the treatment of both players as “pathetic” and “disrespectful”.

Medvedev makes insane history at ATP Finals

Medvedev went into the final having not lost a match all week while his win over World No.3 Thiem means he became the first player in the 50-year history of the tournament to beat the world's three leading players at the same event.

Thiem, who lost last year's ATP final to Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, clinched the first set by a single break after he survived two early break points from Medvedev's determined rallying.

Medvedev fought back from 2-0 behind in the second set tie-break to level the scoreboard and collected a decisive break in the third en route to the trophy.

“What a match. One of my best victories,” Medvedev said.

“Against an amazing player, Dominic. Congrats already for what you achieved in your career. Your name is already in the history of tennis.

“You won a grand slam this year, you're playing unbelievable.

“I hope we're going to have many more matches to come on the big occasions like this.”

with AAP

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