Medvedev: I don’t play for money; the total fines in my career would make me cry

What is tennis without some fiery passion? The moment a racket shatters always steals the spotlight, sparking reactions from the crowd and fans online. Even the top players have had such moments—except Nadal. Among today's players, Medvedev’s temper stands out, as evidenced by his record of fines. But can he truly control his anger?

The Russian has returned to the Shanghai Masters, aiming to win another Masters title after falling in the semifinals in Beijing. Before his opening match against Svrčina, Medvedev was asked about his first major controversy in 2016. At the Savannah Challenger, he was disqualified for accusing the umpire of favoring his opponent. He admitted he wasn’t entirely blameless and had apologized at the time. Then the reporter posed an intriguing question: if he could rewrite a news headline, which one would he choose?

His options were: “Medvedev tries a new return technique—serving from the fifth row of the stands. Opponents stunned.” Medvedev laughed it off, denying he ever did that. Another read: “20-year-old Medvedev becomes FIFA World Champion.” He joked, “That could have happened in 2014.” But the third hit home: “A day without fines is a victory: young player Medvedev learns to control his emotions.”

“That one’s perfect, no problem at all. I don’t even want to think about how much I’ve paid in fines during my career,” Medvedev said. He went on to explain, “I just... how to put it... it proves that, in a way, you don’t play for money. If I played just for money, I would never do those crazy things on court. But that’s emotion, that’s life, that’s sport. If someone showed me the total of all my fines, I might actually cry.”

Last month at the US Open, he exited in dramatic fashion again. In the first round against Bonzi, a photographer walked onto the court at match point, triggering Medvedev’s fury. The umpire awarded Bonzi a replay of the serve, and Medvedev stormed to his chair shouting, “Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home early, he doesn’t like it. He’s paid by matches, not by hours.” The crowd booed loudly, and the disruption paused the match for over six minutes. Eventually, Bonzi regrouped and came back to win in five sets. Afterward, Medvedev smashed his racket again and was fined $42,500 for “unsportsmanlike conduct and racket abuse.”

This wasn’t his largest fine, but it was his second this year. At the Australian Open earlier, he was fined $76,000 for damaging a court camera and smashing rackets in the first two rounds, which included $10,000 to compensate for the camera and $66,000 in penalties (after a point penalty). This means that just in 2025, he has accumulated about $118,500 in fines.

Now he says, “Life without fines is obviously better. But I’m an emotional player on court, I can’t control it.” Still, he has been trying to stay calm recently, although he nearly got fined again at the China Open.

In the semifinal against young American Lehnert, Medvedev suffered severe cramps late in the match and was forced to retire. But before that, controversy erupted: the umpire gave him a “lack of effort” violation, claiming he did not try his best during his opponent’s service game.

This call shocked everyone. The umpire thought Medvedev had given up the point outright, but in reality, he was almost immobile due to cramps. The incident quickly went viral online, with fans in disbelief. Afterwards, the ATP reviewed the footage and confirmed the umpire’s mistake.

The official statement followed: “After review, the ATP umpire department determined the ‘lack of effort’ violation was incorrect. Medvedev and his team were informed post-match that no fines would be imposed.” This was a relief for Medvedev, who had initially faced a potential $40,000 penalty. The sanction was completely overturned upon review.

Although cramps ended his semifinal run, Medvedev clearly gave his all. Now, all eyes turn to the Shanghai Masters, where he last won the title in 2019 by defeating Zverev 6-4, 6-1 in the final. Can he fulfill his dream again and claim his second Shanghai Masters crown?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)