Medvedev: a narcissist on the tennis court

Andrei Medvedev's last name in Russian means bear and the six-foot four-inch, 200 pound Ukranian has an imposing personality on court. The Kiev resident also has the potential to be in the Top Ten on the ATP Tour but has been termed an underachiever for his largely enigmatic performances. Staging a comeback after an injury-plagued 2000 raised the prospect of Medvedev going for the trophy in the $1 million Dubai Duty Free men's event, when he knocked out fifth seed Patrick Rafter on Wednesday. But after that he said, "I don't play for trophies, I don't play for money."

Medvedev, a strong individual, is not bothered about talk that he is an underachiever. "I play for myself first, my family next and then for my fans," he paused and added,"If there are any..." Medvedev explained that he treats defeat and victory in an equal vein. "It's not the end of life," he explained.

Truly enough, Medvedev went on to crash out of the Dubai Tennis Championships when top seed Marat Safin swept him 6-1, 6-2 in 53 minutes. There were no efforts to fight back. Medvedev takes the low in his stride as well as the high. The Ukranian, 26, hinted he could hang up his racquet at the end of the season. "In Kiev it is not like the West, where whatever you touch turns to gold," said Medvedev, suggesting that he could go back to Kiev and spend time in his home town. He remembered the times he spent in Kiev recovering from ligament and ankle injuries last year. "It was wonderful. I went to the theatre and opera," Medvedev said. It was there that he made plans for life after tennis.

Medvedev, who has gained weight while recuperating from his injury, has suffered nagging injuries time and again since his debut on the ATP circuit in 1991. He has finished in the Top 30 six times in eight years and also featured in a Grand Slam final, losing to French Open titleist to Andre Agassi in 1999. As his conqueror Marat Safin pointed out, "It is tough to quit tennis." Medvedev may find it difficult to call it quits, although he is adamant when he says he plays for himself.