Daniil Medvedev's Olympic Doubles Woes: 'Four People on the Court Disturb Me'

Daniil Medvedev, the former world No. 1, has admitted that he struggles to translate his singles adaptability to doubles, after an awkward mixed loss to Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori at the Paris Olympics.

With his inimitable knack for self-deprecating flair, of course.

“Sometimes I can play doubles well, but in principle four people on the court disturbs me,” Medvedev said after partnering teenaged compatriot Mirra Andreeva for a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. “I make mistakes on those balls that I never make mistakes on in singles, although the court is smaller.

“It's a shame,” added the 2021 US Open champion, who also lost in the first round of men’s doubles with Roman Safiullin. “I wanted to prove to myself that I can. But I couldn't. It always hurts, but it happens. That's life.”

Playing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, Medvedev is making his second Olympic appearance, reaching the quarterfinals in men’s singles at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. The No. 4 seed is still alive in singles this time after a straightforward opener against Rinky Hijikata.

But even alongside Andreeva, who reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros last month, doubles proved a different animal.

Many fans clipped some of his more awkward moments on the court against Errani, who is known for having one of the slower serves in tennis.

Brat summer will continue for Medvedev all the same in his singles second round against Austria’s Sebastian Ofner.

Medvedev Hints at Retiring from Doubles

Daniil Medvedev hinted that he may retire from playing doubles after losing to the Italian pairing of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori at the Olympics. Medvedev, who is competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, partnered Mirra Andreeva in the mixed doubles but struggled to find his feet.

The 28-year-old found it hard to deal with the slow serving speed of Errani as the Italians cruised to victory in straight sets. Medvedev and Andreeva won just five games all match, with their muted display allowing Errani and Vavassori to claim the spoils without too much difficulty.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Medvedev hinted that he may no longer play doubles as he explained that having four people on the court instead of two does not sit right with him.

"Sometimes I can play doubles well, but in principle four people on the court disturbs me," said the one-time Grand Slam champion, who also lost in the first round of the men’s doubles with Roman Safiullin on Sunday.

"It's a shame. I wanted to prove to myself that I can but I couldn't. It always hurts, but it happens. That's life."

Medvedev is making his second Olympic appearance, having reached the quarter-finals in the men’s singles in Tokyo three years ago. He remains in with a chance of a medal in the singles competition after breezing past Rinky Hijikata in the opening round.

Medvedev's Doubles Struggles Continue

Medvedev's struggles in doubles continued at the Olympics, as he and Andreeva were defeated in straight sets by Errani and Vavassori. Medvedev has now lost both of his doubles matches at the Games, and his comments suggest that he may be considering giving up on the format altogether.

Medvedev's struggles in doubles are in contrast to his success in singles, where he is a former world No. 1 and has won a Grand Slam title. However, his comments suggest that he may not be as committed to doubles as he is to singles.

It remains to be seen whether Medvedev will continue to play doubles, but his comments suggest that he is not enjoying the format as much as he used to.