Following his second-round US Open win, Daniil Medvedev revealed his dream movie role: appearing as the villain for most of the film before a final twist reveals him as the hero. His clever answer quickly went viral, with fans calling it “genius” and “pure cinema.”
The World No.8 and Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev revealed his dream movie role after winning his second round of the ongoing US Open 2026 against Sebastian Gorzny of the USA at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on Wednesday, September 2.
Medvedev defeated Gorzny in three straight sets - 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 - to punch his ticket to the third round, keeping his hopes of ending a five-year drought of winning his Grand Slam title. The 30-year-old won his maiden Major at the US Open in 2021, and since then, he has remained one of the sport's most compelling and unpredictable contenders.
Daniil Medvedev won the opening round against Hugo Gaston of France, where he eased past the qualifier in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, setting the tone for another deep run at Flushing Meadows.
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Medvedev Reveals His Dream Movie Role
Following the second-round win, Daniil Medvedev grabbed the attention of the spectators at Louis Armstrong Stadium after an interviewer posed a cinematic question. In a video that went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), Medvedev was asked whether he would rather play the hero or the villain if the US Open were a movie.
True to his form, the Russian tennis star didn’t miss a beat and delivered a whole movie plot, stating that he wanted to play a character whom the audience would suspect as the bad guy for the majority of the film, only for a last-second plot twist to reveal he was actually the hero all along.
“It’s super easy. For about 50% of the movie, you know this kind of movie where you don’t know what the ending is and you try to guess who is the bad guy. I wanna be the guy who you’re gonna watch the movie, and almost 'til the end think he’s a bad guy, he’s not good,” Medvedev said.
“Then at the last second of the movie, you understand that he was the best guy ever. He was really good. And it was some other guy who was the villain. This would be perfect," he added.
Daniil Medvedev is often known for his short temper and fiery antics on the court, and unforgettable villain-esque flair that naturally makes him one of the most polarizing and compelling characters in tennis.
However, Medvedev’s dream role somewhat mirrors his actual career narrative at Flushing Meadows: a player who regularly leans into the tournament's ultimate antagonist, only to capture the hearts of New York crowds when it matters most.
Medvedev’s Villain-To-Hero Storyline Gets Fans Talking
Daniil Medvedev’s hilarious answer quickly went viral, with fans praising his unique take on the hero-versus-villain question and calling his proposed storyline the ultimate plot twist.
Taking to their X handles, fans and tennis enthusiasts praised Medvedev’s unconventional answer, with many calling it a ‘genius’ response and the perfect plot twist. Some fans even compared his imagined storyline to Megamind, while others joked that the answer was quintessential Medvedev, further highlighting his unique personality both on and off the court.
However, some said his imagined storyline perfectly captured his unpredictable personality, with the late twist from villain to hero making his answer even more entertaining.
Daniil Medvedev will continue his second US Open as well as his Grand Slam titles when he takes on Arthur Rinderknech of France in the third round, as he looks to march deeper into the second week at Flushing Meadows.
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