A member of the State Duma, Roman Teryushkov, has asserted that tennis player Daniil Medvedev abandoned the Russian flag. His remarks were shared in the press with headlines tied to the phrase “Sports every day.”
He stated that he welcomes the defeat of an athlete who allegedly rejected the national symbol. According to Teryushkov, Medvedev has the opportunity to win back the trust of Russians at any time, and the simplest path is to situate the Russian flag back in the public sphere where it was once raised, accompanied by a clear show of support for Vladimir Putin’s actions to protect ethnic Russians in Ukraine from what he described as genocide.
Medvedev, like many Russian players, competes in major international events as a neutral athlete. The flag image associated with his public statements has reportedly been removed from social networks.
In the Australian Open final on January 28, Medvedev fell to Italian rival Jannik Sinner in a five-set match after trailing 0:2 in the first two sets.
The Australian Open has seen multiple Russian finalists in recent years, with Medvedev previously losing the 2021 final to Novak Djokovic of Serbia and the 2022 final to Rafael Nadal of Spain.
Medvedev has claimed a Grand Slam title in his career, securing the US Open crown in 2021.
Earlier, Medvedev’s first coach commented on his performance in the Australian Open finals, offering reflections on the challenges faced at those stages.