During his match against American teenager Learner Tien at the Shanghai Masters, Daniil Medvedev found himself in a tense moment—not with his opponent, but with the chair umpire. The Russian star was handed a code violation for taking too long between points, prompting a passionate response that referenced his past encounters with Rafael Nadal.

Medvedev’s frustration boils over

Medvedev, known for his candid on-court reactions, didn’t hold back when addressing the umpire. “All my life, I’ve been serving and waiting for Rafa for 55 seconds. And you give me a code violation on the first occasion,” he said, visibly frustrated. “I played Rafa five times, there was not one time I was ready to serve and he was ready to return. He didn’t get one time violation.”

The comment drew attention not only for its directness but also for its broader implications about consistency in officiating. Nadal, long known for his deliberate pace between points, has often been at the center of debates regarding time violations.

A broader conversation about rules enforcement

Medvedev’s remarks reignited discussion around the enforcement of the shot clock and whether top players receive preferential treatment. While the ATP has made efforts to standardize timing rules, incidents like this highlight ongoing tensions between players and officials.

Despite the interruption, Medvedev went on to win the match, but the exchange added another layer to the narrative of fairness and transparency in elite tennis. As the tour continues, players and officials alike may need to revisit how rules are applied across the board.

ATP Shanghai - Daniil Medvedev's projected path

Medvedev in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2025

Ranked world no.18, the Russian achieved an overall 33-20 match record in 2025. The Russian is playing at the moment in Shanghai where he toppled the world no.91 Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-1, the world no.20 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 7-6(5) and the world no.36 Learner Tien 7-6(6) 6-7(1) 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev will face the world no.7 Alex De Minaur in the quarter. Their current head to head is 7-4 for Medvedev.

Medvedev got to the final in Halle (Terra Wortmann Open).

Medvedev won 20 titles in his career: 10 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 8 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)