We all like foreigners to speak to us in our language. Although with mistakes and a terrible accent, this evokes respect, because the person has put a lot of effort and probably spent a lot of time learning a language that is foreign to them.
It’s also no secret that the French especially love it when foreigners speak French. And they don’t really like speaking English because of the centuries-old history of clashes with their neighbor.
And English speaking is everywhere! After all, the main language of international communication. The world of tennis is a great example of this: players from all over the world give interviews and press conferences for the international press in English.
It is even more valuable for the French when a foreign francophone appears in this English-speaking sea. Even a simple “Comment ça va?” From the mouth of a foreigner he evokes affection, and if he demonstrates a brilliant command of the language of Hugo and Flaubert, like Daniil Medvedev, he will melt the hearts of even an audience as sophisticated as at Roland Garros in Paris.
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“I moved to France when I was 18.” Medvedev says he speaks French fluently
Medvedev moved from Russia to France at the age of 18 and, because he had an aptitude for learning languages, he learned French quite quickly. In reality, he had no choice! “My coach spoke to me exclusively in French, all the tennis players spoke to me in French. And suddenly I realized that I speak French myself! -he said five years ago.
And now Medvedev has French coaches, Gilles Cervara and Gilles Simon, and the entire team speaks French. He lives permanently in Monaco, where many famous tennis players reside. So it is not surprising that Medvedev’s French is better than that of some French people.
Daniil has a long and complex history of relationships with fans. There were many scandalous moments, but he never left anyone indifferent, and this year he began by admitting that he had found harmony with himself, he became even happier and no longer wants to fight with the public.
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“Close your mouth”. Medvedev started a violent conflict with the public at the 2021 Madrid tournament
But in France they always wanted it. Maybe he started at Roland Garros 2021, when he reached the quarterfinals for the first time in the tournament. The public was enchanted by the Russian tennis player, and his on-court interviews in his native language only reinforced this charm. Here’s what fans wrote on social media over the years during tournaments in France:
“I always forget that Medvedev speaks French, but seriously, it’s one of his best qualities.”
“He speaks French! How cool is this!
“Medvedev is very attractive when he speaks French.”
And this year Daniil is winning the hearts of French fans in the same way. The interviewer always asks what language the winner of the match wants to speak, as long as he knows the language of the country where the tournament is held. Medvedev always chooses French. If you watched his on-court interview after his first-round win over Dominik Köpfer, you saw it all with your own eyes.
I don’t remember any of the French and I don’t understand what exactly he said, but this is not at all necessary to feel the atmosphere. Everyone looked at Daniel with completely loving eyes, both the interviewer and the audience, and even Gilles Simon, who was constantly caught on camera, and after the interview they applauded, asked to take a photo and give him a souvenir as a souvenir.
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Medvedev always likes to repeat that he is a hard court specialist and that clay is not his thing at all. Although in recent years Daniil began to establish relationships with this surface and in 2023 he won the Rome Masters. At Roland Garros 2024, Daniil surpassed the first round for the third time in his career, but we hope that this is not the limit for the renewed Medvedev, who feels inner harmony.
And tomorrow, after the match with Miomir Kecmanovic, we will again see Medvedev in front of the microphone on the court and listen to his beautiful French.
