"If something doesn’t go her way, she throws a toy or bites it" - Daniil Medvedev hilariously questions if daughter Alisa's anger is 'pure genetics'
Daniil Medvedev humorously pondered whether his daughter Alisa's temper was simply a result of "genetics." Medvedev and his wife Daria met in 2014 and got married in 2018. Their first child, daughter Alisa, was born in October 2022.
Medvedev is currently competing at the 2024 US Open where he defeated the likes of Dusan Lajovic, Fabian Marozsan, 31st seed Flavio Cobolli, and Nuno Borges in the first four rounds to secure his spot in the quarterfinals where he will face top seed Jannik Sinner.
During an interview with Tennis.com, Daniil Medvedev discussed his daughter Alisa and how she has adopted his mannerisms. He shared that the toddler tends to throw or bite her toys when things don't go her way, leading him to amusingly speculate if she inherited these quirks from him due to "genetics."
The former World No.1 also mentioned that his wife Daria is puzzled by their daughter's behavior, knowing that Alisa's temper tantrums stem from her father's genetics and her resemblance to his mannerisms.
“If something doesn’t go her way, then she throws a toy in anger or bites it. My wife is looking at me saying, ‘Okay, where does it come from?’ And that’s pretty funny because you start asking yourself if it’s just pure genetics and I don’t have an answer to this question,” Medvedev said.
Daniil Medvedev explained that Alisa has inherited his strong-willed character, as she, like him, refuses help from others unless she decides she needs it herself. He added that Alisa is similar in that aspect, only accepting assistance when she deems it necessary, regardless of who offers it.
“Many times I need help from my coaches, from family. They can say whatever they want, but until I decide what I need, it’s not going to work. And it’s the same with her. I can repeat 10 times, ‘Alisa, let me help you with a car. It doesn’t go, so you need to turn it on.’ She won’t let you, until she decides that she wants your help. Yeah, my character,” he added .
Daniil Medvedev on his daughter Alisa: “I really want her to grow up as a happy person”
In the aforementioned interview, Daniil Medvedev revealed that fatherhood was no walk in the park, prompting him to turn to books for guidance. He said that he wants to be a good father to ensure his daughter, Alisa, grows up "happy."
“I don’t always succeed to be the best father I want to be, but it teaches you. I am even trying to read books about it because I really want her to grow up as a happy person,” Medvedev said.
Medvedev also shared that parenthood requires a lot of patience which he is learning.
“When you’re talking to adults, or you’re talking to yourself, you can be like, ‘I said this one time already. Why don’t you understand?’ With kids, it doesn’t work like this, so that helps you a lot in life to then relate. You have to repeat to them without raising your voice, trying to explain,” he added.
Daniil Medvedev's wife Daria and his daughter Alisa often accompany him to different tournaments he plays around the world, and they are seen supporting him from the stands.