Some athletes can handle disappointment well, even during competition; Tennis star Daniil Medvedev is not one of them.
Medvedev, one of the most highly ranked competitors in the world, received a scare he may not have seen coming after he lost a point during a hard-fought match with Kasidit Samrej, the 418th-ranked player in the world. The lost point threatened to put the Russian down two sets to one.
How did Medvedev deal with the unexpected trouble and possibility of humiliating failure? He beat the heck out of a camera.
Neither the racket nor the camera survived the attack.
Despite being hit with a penalty for his tantrum, Medvedev rallied and defeated Samrej.
After the match, Medvedev admitted to being surprised by his opponent’s skill and offered some thoughts on what benefits may befall his vanquished opponent should he maintain that level of play.
“If he plays like this every match.. his life can be good,” Medvedev said. “Money, girls, casino… whatever.”
It’s unclear if Medvedev was speaking from experience with his prediction, but it is likely the case.