Medvedev Rips ATP Fines, Says He Has No Desire for Finals

Daniil Medvedev admitted he has lost motivation for the rest of the season after a straight-sets loss to Ignacio Buse at the Paris Masters.

The 30-year-old Russian, who had won two titles in his previous four tournaments, fell 6-4, 6-4 in his opening match on Wednesday.

After the defeat, Medvedev told BB Tennis that he does not want to play the ATP Finals, the season-ending event he has already qualified for.

"To be honest, I don't really have the desire to play anymore this season, but I'll have to," Medvedev said.

The comment stunned observers because Medvedev had pushed hard over the last two months to secure his spot in the eight-man field in Turin.

His recent run included titles in Vienna and at the NTC in Paris, where he practiced before the Paris Masters.

Medvedev also criticized the court conditions at the Paris Masters, saying the surface was much faster than the one he had trained on.

"Personally, I was having a blast at the NTC yesterday," Medvedev said.

"The courts there… even though people say they're fast, they actually felt slow to me."

"I just arrived here today, and it's ten times faster, which, again, raises some questions. Why is the court over there so much slower? It was really tough to get into a rhythm and play well."

The match also featured a heated exchange with chair umpire Adel Nour and tournament supervisor Cédric Mourier.

During a changeover, Medvedev received a warning for scraping his racket on the court surface.

He argued that the penalty was unfair, telling the umpire, "I can't hit the ground? Every time it's something new?"

Medvedev then told Mourier that his legs hurt and threatened to stop playing.

"If I retire, what do I get? My legs hurt really badly. I'm in a lot of pain, I can't play," Medvedev said in French.

He added: "I just tore something in my leg. If the physio decides there's nothing wrong, I'll play. But I tore my adductor, and I've been playing for seven weeks."

Medvedev has a history of on-court drama.

He was disqualified from a match earlier this season and threatened to retire during his Shanghai Masters semi-final.

This year's Paris Masters exit continues a poor run at the event.

Medvedev has now lost in the second round in four of the last five editions of the tournament.

The ATP Finals are scheduled for November 15-22 in Turin, Italy.

Medvedev qualified for the event by finishing in the top eight of the ATP Race to Turin.

The tournament features the season's best players in a round-robin format, with a $15 million prize pool.

Novak Djokovic, who is still trying to qualify for the Finals, has publicly expressed his desire to compete.

Djokovic is currently in ninth place in the race and needs results to go his way to secure a spot.

The contrast between Djokovic's effort to qualify and Medvedev's dismissive attitude has drawn attention from fans and analysts.

Medvedev's comments raise questions about his mental and physical state after a long season.

He has played seven consecutive weeks of tennis, including tournaments in Shanghai, Vienna, and Paris.

The ATP fine system also came under fire from Medvedev after the match.

He told reporters that the penalties for racket abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct are inconsistent and unfair.