Daniil Medvedev says tennis fans don't like him because he's Russian. In reality he was likely booed because of his rude, disrespectful behavior.

• Daniil Medvedev has suggested fans at this year's Australian Open jeered him because he's Russian.
• It's more likely he got booed because of his rude, disrespectful outbursts during the tournament.

At almost every stage of this year's Australian Open, Daniil Medvedev has found himself on the end of jeers from the crowd.

After his defeat in Sunday's final to Rafael Nadal, where he was again taunted by sections of the Rod Laver Arena, the world No. 2 suggested he had been ill-treated by fans throughout the tournament because he's Russian.

"I think nationality plays a key," he said. "I can definitely see when you playing somebody from the other country, they would go for them and not for Russian, or something like this.

"I feel there is a lot more buzz about tennis in Russia right now. Hopefully we'll try to get more people to go for us."

Medvedev didn't provide specific evidence for his claim, and the reason he's been subjected to any abuse or disrespect from the crowds is likely to do with his own attitude.

From round one, the 25-year-old has moaned and groaned at seemingly any opportunity, in the process insulting people across the spectrum of tennis, including umpires, stadium staff, opponents, and fans.

After his second-round victory, he accused members of the crowd of jeering him when they were imitating Cristiano Ronaldo's famous "SIUUUU" celebration. Then, despite being corrected, he doubled down by suggesting those responsible for the chants had a "low IQ."

During his fourth-round win over American Maxime Cressy, he ranted at a match official over a sweaty shirt, shouted at the chair umpire, and called his opponent "boring" and "lucky."

In the quarterfinal, he called a screen operator an idiot with no brain, while in the last four, he launched an explosive tirade at umpire Jaume Campistol, screaming at him for 45 seconds because he believed his opponent was being illegally coached by his trainer.

The rant, reminiscent of John McEnroe's famous outbursts, saw Medvedev directly question the umpire's competence, call him stupid, and yell at him in a manner that even the staunchest fan could acknowledge was disrespectful.

While Medvedev apologized after the match, the damage was done.

Lastly, in the final, when he was jeered by the fans, he called them idiots with no brains before turning his nose up when he was cheered as he collected his runner-up prize.

It's plain to see that fans' growing dislike of Medvedev throughout the tournament coincided with his increasingly contemptuous and aggressive behavior toward those around him.

It's for similar reasons that crowds in Melbourne have struggled to take to Novak Djokovic over the years.

The Serbian player lost his cool with the chair umpire after being given back-to-back time violations during the 2020 final. And throughout the tournament the following year, he caused a stir by complaining about quarantine conditions, despite receiving better treatment and facilities than almost all the other players.

This year, of course, Djokovic was public enemy No. 1 after his drawn-out COVID-vaccination saga, which saw him anger many Australians by attempting to enter the tournament while unvaccinated. He was eventually deported.

Like Djokovic, Medvedev can't expect to treat his fellow competitors, fans, and the staff who help run the Open — many of whom are volunteers — so rudely and be universally adored.

Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios faces a similar issue when he's abroad and behaves in such a manner. He may get away with it on home soil, but when he throws tantrums, breaks rackets, and shouts at umpires while playing away, crowds don't tend to take too kindly to him.

The same goes for Frenchman Benoît Paire, who often finds himself being jeered when he tanks games on purpose so he can get his first-round prize money and run.

Medvedev can say that fans treat him differently because he's Russian. But the truth may be that tennis fans don't want to back someone who angrily calls them idiots.

Though a talented player, and one who's likely going to win many Grand Slams over the course of a storied career, Medvedev may struggle to build his fan base until he controls his outbursts.