Medvedev uncovers the toughest part of being a professional tennis player
After winning his first match in Dubai, the Russian spoke about a dimension that professional tennis players often experience but outsiders tend to overlook. The less glamorous side.
Although any of us would change without thinking for any top 10 player in the current circuit, the truth is that the life of a tennis player is not all roses. Or at least, that's how Daniil Medvedev portrayed it in his recent statements from the ATP Dubai.
Daniil Medvedev tends to complain practically every week, whether about the conditions, the environment, or even about himself. The point is to never be content with what is, although there are reasons for it. Since the ATP 500 in Dubai, the Russian player offered a well-thought-out response yesterday about what lies behind the life of a professional tennis player, that dark side that no one talks about, but which haunts them every week throughout the circuit. A thoughtful response that will make many wonder if they would really want to trade their life for that of any tennis player.
Daniil Medvedev points out the toughest part of being a professional tennis player
"The first thing people see about us is that we are out there playing tennis in front of thousands of people, also winning large amounts of money, especially those within the top 50 or top 100 of the singles ranking. It's normal for these people's initial thought to be: 'What are they complaining about? They shouldn't complain at all.' But then there's the other part, what people don't see. When talking about tennis, we cannot only talk about competition; we also have to talk about the price that comes with this journey.
For example, this week we're in Doha, where, yes, the trip wasn't excessively long from Dubai, so that's good on that side. However, the balls are different in this tournament, the courts are also different, seemingly silly things. The hotel is different, the bed is different, the pillow is different; everything becomes a bit more challenging for the body. Perhaps if it happens once, you don't feel it as much, but I imagine having that feeling about 40 times a year. This is the reality we live with."
"Let's also talk about the constant time zone changes, of course, the change in food. Food in each country is different, it's something different in each place. All this would be much easier to handle if you didn't have a match to play the next day against an opponent who wants to win that match as much as you do. Ultimately, if you don't win, if you lose, people think you're bad. Last year, I remember playing seven consecutive tournaments; did I really have to do that? You think that maybe you can get 100 points here and 200 points there, you want to be higher all the time. If there were no points at stake, it would be much simpler, but that's not going to happen.
This is what people don't understand about tennis, which is why they sometimes get upset. You can arrive at a new place and suffer from food poisoning, which may not be serious enough to withdraw but is enough to feel unwell that day and lose your match. Then everyone will say, how is it possible to lose due to a simple food poisoning. This is the hardest part of tennis, everything that comes with the travels, in addition to maintaining that winning mindset no matter what happens".
What do you think? Do you agree with Medvedev or do you think he's exaggerating a bit?
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev destapa la parte más dura de ser tenista profesional