Daniil Medvedev's successful first match at the U.S. Open on Sunday, a straight-sets victory over France's Hugo Gaston, was attributed by the player to an unconventional aid: chewing gum. Medvedev won the match 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
"I was super dry in my mouth. Water was not helping, so the only solution was chewing gum," Medvedev explained during his on-court interview. He added that he watches a lot of baseball and adopted the practice from players there. "I was like, ‘You know what, I’m losing all the matches. I need to try to do like baseball guys. I need to change something,’" he said.
During the match, 12 pieces of chewed peppermint-flavored Excel gum were visible next to Medvedev's seat. The 30-year-old Russian secured the win by converting four of his eight break point opportunities. This victory marks Medvedev's eighth time advancing to the second round of the U.S. Open.
Medvedev is aiming to improve his performance after a disappointing first-round exit at last year's U.S. Open. As the No. 7 seed and without world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the tournament, Medvedev could face players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev en route to the final. His sole Grand Slam title remains the 2021 U.S. Open championship.
When asked about a previous joke regarding a career in pickleball, Medvedev affirmed his commitment to tennis. "Unfortunately, tennis takes too much energy and time," he stated with a smile. "Until I’m, let’s say, 37 and a half, I will be happy to play tennis. And then let’s see what life brings me."
Medvedev will face either American wild card Sebastian Gorzny or Belgium's Raphael Collignon in the next round.