“I don’t know where she got this from”: Daniil Medvedev’s daughter may be following in his footsteps after hilarious racket-throwing incident
ATPSaturday, 05 September 2026 at 06:30
Daniil Medvedev may have already passed his fiery personality on to the next generation, with his daughter providing a hilarious reminder of her father's reputation during a recent tennis practice. The Russian, meanwhile, is showing plenty of fire of his own at the US Open, reaching the fourth round without dropping a set and beginning to look like a serious contender once again.
Medvedev defeated 26th seed Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the fourth round in New York, continuing an impeccable start to his campaign. The seventh seed had reached this stage only once in his previous seven Grand Slam appearances and was eliminated in the first round of last year's US Open.
His situation looks very different this time around. The 2021 US Open champion has not dropped a set through three matches and is now No. 5 in the live rankings, while the draw has opened up considerably. Only three Grand Slam champions remain in the tournament, including Medvedev, who has also reached the US Open final in 2019 and 2023.
With his tennis beginning to provide plenty of reasons for optimism, Medvedev was also asked about the mental challenges waiting for him away from the court. The question produced one of the more amusing stories of his tournament so far, as the Russian recalled the moment his daughter appeared to demonstrate that the fiery side of his personality may already be rubbing off on her.
Medvedev chooses family over five-set battles
Asked what requires greater mental stamina, a five-set Grand Slam match or a day at home with his daughters, Medvedev initially struggled to choose before being encouraged to “answer smartly.”
“Oh my God, they are both tough. Impossible to say," the former world No. 1 said during the on-court interview. "I have to say the day at home with the family. Even if sometimes, you know, with the daughter mentally can be tough and some days are amazing. It's, at the end of the day, it's always a nice experience.”
The Russian then explained why the two experiences are ultimately very different, pointing out that even a difficult day with his family remains a positive experience, while the aftermath of a five-set defeat can be particularly painful.
“I have to be honest, when you lose a five-set, at the end of the day, it's a very bad experience. Your body hurts, your mind hurts, you lost a match, you have to go home, you have to, I don't know, book your tickets, think about how you practice the next days, what you do. So definitely better to be at home with the family.”
“I don’t know where she got this from”
Medvedev then shared a story from one of his daughter's visits to tennis practice, although he admitted that he normally prefers not to talk too much about his family. His daughter does not really watch his matches yet, but she still managed to produce a moment that looked remarkably familiar.
“I have one funny story, because again, I don't like to talk too much about my family. But I took her to practice once. It was on clay, and she comes and she's happy to play tennis. She doesn't really watch my matches yet, and, you know, even if sometimes I break a racket, it's not like every match I throw the racket 65 times.”
The resemblance became impossible to ignore when his daughter suddenly threw a racket across the court, although Medvedev stressed that she was not doing it out of frustration.
“And then she's happy, so she did it not out of frustration, but she throws the racket through the whole court. And the coach, the lady, looks at me and says, ‘I don't know where she got this from.’”
Medvedev could only laugh at the comparison and suggested that his daughter could provide plenty of entertainment if she eventually follows him into tennis.
“So yeah, that's how she is. So probably, you know, if she plays tennis, you guys are going to have a lot of fun.”
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For now, though, Medvedev will be focused on continuing his own run in New York. He will face either 11th seed Frances Tiafoe or 22nd seed Valentin Vacherot in the fourth round, with his recent form and history at Flushing Meadows making him an increasingly dangerous presence in the draw.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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