US Open: Medvedev chews gum through straight-sets win, saying he may have watched too much baseball

Daniil Medvedev brought an unusual habit to his opening match at the 2026 US Open: he kept chewing gum during changeovers. The Russian former world No. 1 said his mouth felt dry and that drinking water did not help.

“

Maybe I watched too much baseball.

“Maybe I watched too much baseball,” Medvedev said after beating Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. He explained that baseball players often chew gum, and he decided to copy them after a run of losses.

The tactic accompanied a much more conventional result. Medvedev, who won his only Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2021, avoided a repeat of last year’s shock first-round exit by completing a straight-sets victory over the French player.

“

I don't know either. My mouth was very dry, and drinking water didn't really help, so the only way was chewing gum.

The 30-year-old will play the winner of the match between American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny and Belgium’s Raphael Collignon. Medvedev had recently suffered a surprise defeat in the last 32 at the ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open and joked that he might take up pickleball.

“

I kept losing, so I thought I would learn from baseball players and make a small change.

He said tennis remained a full-time job, despite the demands of the sport. “I think until 37 and a half I will be very happy to play tennis,” he said, adding that the rest would depend on what life brought.

“

I think until 37 and a half I will be very happy to play tennis.