Daniil Medvedev's iconic 'small cat' accusation at chair umpire makes a comeback as Russian hilariously finds out what it really means

Daniil Medvedev found out the meaning of his words to the chair umpire Jaume Campistol during the 2022 Australian Open semifinals against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Russian engaged in a heated argument with the chair umpire after his complaints were paid no heed by the latter.

Medvedev and Tsitsipas engaged in a thrilling final 4 clash which went the Russian's way in four sets. However, during the match, the former World No. 1 was irked by Apostolos' - Tsitsipas' father and coach - incessant talking. Medvedev asked the umpire to take care of the situation but the situation continued.

This sparked the 2021 US Open champion's fury, and he let loose at Campistol, asking him how he could be so 'bad' in the semifinal of a Grand Slam. He also called the chair umpire stupid, and a 'small cat', among other things. Medvedev apologized to the umpire after the match as they shook hands.

Medvedev alongside his coach Giles Cervara had a conversation with Brody of the Broadcast Boys. Bordy asked the Russian if he knew what small cat meant when he called out the umpire. The Russian said he meant kitty but was interrupted by Cervara who asked him what kitty meant.

Brody then said pu**y, which shocked Medvedev, and he exclaimed that that was why everyone was talking about it to him.

"I wanted to say Kitty. But I forgot uh…"

"What kitty means?," Cervara asked.

"Pu**y.," Brody said.

"Ahh! That's what it means. That's why everybody’s talking to me about it. Everyone is talking to me about it."

"Call the supervisor. Another robot comes in" - Daniil Medvedev jokes about technology replacing the chair umpires in tennis, talks about relation with the fans

Daniil Medvedev (image source: GETTY)

Daniil Medvedev was also asked by Brody if it was possible to see technology replacing the chair umpires in the future. He replied with his view that that was not possible as the players could begin fighting. When Giles Cervara said that it could happen one day, Medvedev enacted a possible conversation in humor with a robot umpire, joking about how the supervisor would also be a robot.

"Ahh no, because then there's going to be a fight between players."

"Maybe one day it's going to happen," Cervara said.

"But then, if you get mad at the computer, a computer is like code violation. What? For what? Point penalty. For what? Disqualification. Call the supervisor. Another robot comes in."

Medvedev was then asked if he preferred being the hero or the villain in tennis, replying that he just wanted to play tennis and didn't want to be tied to such tags.

"Oh, I prefer to be neither. I want to be just a tennis player, play tennis. I don't want to do neither, but I do both."

The Russian was reminded of his infamous 2019 US Open where he asked the crowd to boo him more and thanked them as their booing helped him win. He admitted that it used to help him early on in his career but now he just wanted to be calm.

"Yeah, yeah. Then it was helping me at the time. Now I feel like I need to calm down. That's what I am trying to do."

Daniil Medvedev will play defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, in a rematch of last year's semifinal where the Spaniard prevailed.