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Tennis fans were left in stitches as they witnessed Frances Tiafoe's playful ball toss towards Daniil Medvedev during their changeover at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open. The incident sparked a wave of amusement among the crowd on social media, who couldn't help but chuckle at the American's lighthearted prank.
Medvedev effortlessly defeated Tiafoe 7-5, 7-6(4) on Saturday to secure his first-ever final at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells. Tiafoe had previously made it to the third round of the Masters 1000 event in both 2021 and 2022. Medvedev's best performance at Indian Wells, meanwhile, was in 2021, where he made it to the fourth round.
During a changeover in their match, Tiafoe playfully hit Daniil Medvedev with a tennis ball, an act Medvedev himself took in jest. This lighthearted moment was well-received by tennis enthusiasts worldwide, who found the American's antics amusing.
One fan humorously commented that the former World No. 1 has already had a rough time on the court with two injuries - one being when his thumb split open against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and the other where he rolled his ankle against Alexander Zverev. Now, with Tiafoe adding to the mix, it's been a challenging tournament for Medvedev, the fan joked.
'@BNPPARIBASOPEN @FTiafoe First, the court tried to kill him twice, so now the rival decided to add something from himself. Difficult life for Daniil at this tournament 😭," they wrote.
As expected, some individuals failed to appreciate Tiafoe's playful hit on Daniil Medvedev. However, many of Tiafoe's supporters came to his defense, with one stating that he wouldn't have done it if he and the World No. 6 weren't friends. They further added that the two could joke around with each other, and hence, there was nothing wrong with the incident. They wrote:
"Comments calm down, Frances could read the room and wouldnt do it if he and Daniil werent friends, but he knows that they could joke around with each other so there's nothing wrong with it."
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
"Further it goes, the less you have to talk" - Daniil Medvedev jokes about not complaining about Indian Wells courts in semifinal
Daniil Medvedev has expressed his dissatisfaction with the court conditions time and again during his 2023 Indian Wells campaign. The fifth seed has had multiple on-court outbursts due to the same, leading to arguments with chair umpires. However, during the semifinal against Tiafoe, he appeared to be more composed and focused.
"For whatever reason, today felt super fast. Not the court, it is slow, but in general, the conditions. As soon as one of us was making a strong shot, it was really not easy to continue the point," Medvedev clarified in his post-match press conference.
"Maybe that's why I was talking less or we're getting closer to the last matches and the further it goes, the less you have to talk," he added.
Daniil Medvedev will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, March 19.
