Daniil Medvedev had a day to forget at the Monte Carlo Masters, losing 6-0, 6-0 to Matteo Berrettini. The former No. 1 also lost his temper during the match, smashing his racket on the red clay court.
Medvedev’s Racket Tantrum
Medvedev smashed his racket seven successive times and then put the mangled frame in a trash bin. This occurred midway through his match against Berrettini on Wednesday.
The incident resulted in a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct for Medvedev. He will likely receive a hefty fine for his actions in the second set.
Medvedev’s frustration boiled over when he landed a forehand in the net. This error caused him to drop his opening service game of the second set and fall behind 2-0. He responded by slamming his racket near the baseline. He then threw it toward a tarp at the end of the court.
Medvedev continued to smash the racket until it was destroyed enough to fit through an opening in a courtside trash can. The crowd sarcastically cheered him on as he did so.
Berrettini’s Dominant Performance
Medvedev, currently ranked 10th, lost the match in 49 minutes. He had five double-faults to Berrettini’s zero. Medvedev put only 36% of his first serves in play compared to Berrettini’s 65%.
Medvedev won only 17 of the 67 points.
Berrettini became the fifth player since the ATP rankings started in 1973 to defeat a top-10 opponent 6-0, 6-0. The last time it happened was a decade ago when David Goffin routed Tomas Berdych at the Italian Open, according to Opta.
Berrettini said, “I wouldn’t expect to win like that, and it doesn’t happen that often.”
A Turnaround in Player Fortunes
The match was a significant turnaround from the previous three meetings between the players. Medvedev had won all of those previous encounters.
Berrettini, a Wimbledon finalist in 2021, has struggled with injuries in recent years. He is currently ranked 90th and received a wild-card invitation for Monte Carlo.
“It was definitely one of the best performances of my life,” Berrettini said. “I think I missed three shots in the whole match.”
Medvedev was playing his first match on clay this year. He recently beat top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz to reach the final on hard courts in Indian Wells, California.
Berrettini’s victory marks a high point after recent struggles with injury.