Daniil Medvedev demands rule change as 'solution' to Jannik Sinner controversy at Italian Open

Daniil Medvedev has urged ATP Tour chiefs to make a new rule change after his controversial semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner at the Italian Open.

Sinner was leading Medvedev 6-2, 5-7, 4-2 on Friday evening in Rome when a rain delay called a halt to proceedings.

Shortly before the delay of the match, Sinner told the umpire that it was 'raining buckets', and expressed concern over potentially slipping on the lines that adorn the edges of the court.

READ MORE: Exactly what Jannik Sinner said to get Daniil Medvedev match suspended after official complaint

Medvedev would complain to the umpire after Sinner requested a medical timeout for treatment on a thigh problem.

He said, in French: "When we call the physio for cramps, we don't get fined?"

Players are not allowed to receive medical timeouts for cramp under ATP rules unless it is during the time allotted for changeovers or set breaks.

But there has long been concern on the ATP Tour over players exploiting the wording of the rule for their own advantage.

And after he lost his semi-final 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 following the resumption of play on Saturday afternoon, Medvedev used his press conference to call for a rule change.

'I actually have a solution...' - Medvedev on Sinner controversy

While there is no evidence that Sinner did use the situation to his advantage in the semi-final, the controversy is instead more of a build-up of complaints about the number of medical timeouts during matches.

READ MORE: Italian Open chiefs urged to 'do away' with rule after Daniil Medvedev's complaint against Jannik Sinner

Medvedev instead wants treatment for cramps to be allowed by the ATP Tour, but only for a specific time period.

Medvedev is still awaiting his first ATP 1000 event win since 2023 after losing to Sinner (Image: Getty)

"Actually, first I wanted to say impossible to sell, but I actually have a solution," Medvedev told reporters.

"Allow physical, allow medical treatment for help... sorry, allow medical, meaning physio. Three minutes, when you have cramps.

"Then there's no problem, because then a player could say, I have cramps, I need a physio.

"For the moment, it's not allowed. I completely understand.

"Of course, if you start cramping - maybe he was not, I have no idea - what you do, is you ask for a physio and you say, I have a small pain in the leg. Probably, I did it as well in my career.

"If medical would be allowed for cramps, there would be no problem. So this is a solution."

Sinner comments on medical timeout drama

Sinner did not address the situation directly in his post-match interview, but said that the conditions were 'very, very heavy' and 'tough to get through'.

"Yesterday was very tough," he explained. "Today, everything can happen because you start again from zero basically.

"Obviously, the position where I've been in was much better with a break up. When we played today was sunny, so different conditions.

"I'm happy that I got over the line. I struggled a bit to sleep this night. It has been a situation I haven't been in yet, where you need to finish when you're nearly over with the match."

Sinner and Medvedev are among the stars preparing to compete in the French Open, which starts next week without defending champion Carlos Alcaraz due to injury.

Sinner will take on Casper Ruud in the final of the Italian Open, which is an ATP 1000 event, on Sunday in Rome.