The tennis world has been left shocked after Daniil Medvedev lost the plot during a racquet-smashing tantrum on one of the worst days of his career.
On a day the Russian will never forget, Medvedev suffered his first career double bagel, losing 6-0 6-0 in just 49 minutes in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
His tormentor, Matteo Berrettini, said he had played one of the best matches of his life as Medvedev fell apart on the clay — his most-hated surface.
The seventh seed was visibly furious as the match went on and he finally snapped in the second set.
The 30-year-old hit a forehand into the net to drop the second game of set, before he slammed his racquet into the clay towards the back of the court.
After picking up his racquet, Medvedev walked back towards the baseline where he proceeded to smash the racquet again with a screaming right-arm slam.
With the racquet already fractured and hanging by a few strings, Medvedev picked it up and executed another racquet smash in the space of a few seconds.
You can watch the meltdown in the video player above.
The third smash sent the racquet spinning towards the corner of the court. He retrieved the racquet and smacked it into the ground again with the broken tool hurled towards the net.
He completed the racquet’s destruction with a two final smashes near his courtside chair.
The first smash resulted in the racquet landing near the umpire’s chair.
The racquet remained in his hands for the sixth and final smash.
In typical Medvedev fashion, the former world No. 1 proceeded to place the racquet in a garbage bin behind his seat.
Tennis fans on X were in disbelief.
The high profile ‘Tennis Letter’ account said Medvedev went “ballistic”.
One tennis fan called it a “moment of madness”.
Tennis commentator Pavvy Gill also wrote: “In all the years I’ve watched Tennis, I’ve never seen a player smash a racket multiple times on a clay court before.
“Medvedev will likely get another big fine.”
Medvedev’s skill execution matched his fury.
He finished the match with 30 unforced errors and five double faults, winning just 17 points for the entire match.
Medvedev did not win more than two points in any of the last 11 service games.
At the other end of the court, Berrettini was on fire.
“I think it was one of the best performances of my life,” Berrettini said.
“I think I missed three shots in the entire match and it is not easy against a tricky player like Daniil. I think the game plan was perfect and my weapons were working.”
The former Wimbledon runner-up, now ranked 90th, will face Joao Fonseca in the last 16 after the Brazilian teenager beat Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Medvedev, meanwhile, appears to have a lot of soul searching to do before next month’s French Open.
While the current world No. 10 has had some recent success — he won a January tournament in Brisbane and a February tournament in Dubai — it’s been a while since he’s looked like a threat to win a grand slam.
He was ousted in the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open, a year after he was eliminated in the second round in Melbourne.
But he couldn’t make it out of the first round at the French Open, Wimbledon or US Open in 2025.
— with AFP
