Sports · Tennis · published 2026-08-26 · via The Athletic

Medvedev's existential sports debate: pickleball and curling over tennis

During a changeover in his Winston-Salem Open match, Daniil Medvedev joked about starting a pickleball career with Jack Sock and said every sport, including curling, is better than tennis. The 2021 U.S. Open champion lost 7-5, 6-3 to American Martin Damm. Medvedev has had a challenging season, recently parting ways with longtime coach Gilles Cervara.

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Medvedev's Winston-Salem exit extends a turbulent stretch for the 30-year-old. His 2026 campaign has featured a Brisbane title and an Indian Wells final where he pushed Jannik Sinner to tiebreaks, but also a double-bagel loss to Matteo Berrettini at Monte Carlo and a first-round French Open exit. He has cycled through coaching arrangements, parting with Gilles Cervara and Thomas Johansson before turning to Andrey Golubev for the U.S. hard-court swing.

The pickleball and curling comments fit Medvedev's established pattern of unfiltered on-court commentary, from his 2018 outburst at Stefanos Tsitsipas to his "Illuminati" remark about Madrid roof closures. His reference to Jack Sock, who won four Grand

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This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Daniil Medvedev contemplates pickleball career, curling in pre-U.S. Open changeover crash-out.” Browse more stories.