Daniil Medvedev smashes tennis racket seven instances and throws it in bin as followers mock strop
WATCH: Tennis ace Daniil Medvedev was handed a code violation after smashing his racket seven times during a massive strop in an embarrassing defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters
(Image: VALERY HACHE, AFP via Getty Images)
Daniil Medvedev received a code violation after battering his racket seven times as he lost his temper at the Monte Carlo Masters.
The No. 7 seed found himself in deep trouble in his opening match and struggled to score points against Matteo Berrettini. After falling 6-0, 2-0 behind, Medvedev finally reached breaking point and vented his frustrations on his racket, reports the Express.
The Russian initially flung his racket to the rear of the court. He continued to go after it, picking it back up, and slamming it on the ground again. Commentator Mikey Perera informed viewers: “Well, this is becoming a real headache now for Medvedev, and goodness me, the racket is thrown with real venom. And again. And again! It had been coming, everybody.”
The spectators on Court Rainier III were aware of what was unfolding. By the time he’d already executed three racket smashes, they began to taunt him. A low-level “oooh” echoed from the stands each time Medvedev approached his Tecnifibre stick, and when he smashed it, the crowd responded with a “wahey”.
As Medvedev advanced towards his racket following a fifth racket smash, Perera remarked: “Not again.” But the world No 10 pounded it into the ground once more. A seventh and final smash ensued, and Perera added: “Still going.”
Medvedev eventually ceased, picked up the shattered frame, and tossed it in the bin. He was then issued a code violation warning. “Yeah, I think that’s unusable. Into the bin that goes,” the commentator added. “It’s amazing that’s just one warning, isn’t it!”
But matters deteriorated further for Medvedev, who kept firing mistakes around the court. The former world No. 1 was broken twice more to endure a crushing 6-0 6-0 defeat. It’s the first double-bagel loss Medvedev has suffered in his career. He concluded the match with 28 unforced errors.
Commentators were left astounded by the nature of the encounter. “A scoreline to shock and surprise,” Perera said. Co-commentator and former ATP star Gilles Muller replied: “Not sure I’ve ever seen anything like this. Just speechless here.”
Berrettini, a former world No. 6 who has slipped to 90th following years of persistent injury battles, has yet to drop a game at this year’s Monte Carlo Masters. In his first-round clash on Tuesday, he progressed when Roberto Bautista Agut withdrew just 23 minutes into the match with the Italian ahead 4-0.
The wildcard signed the camera lens with a message which read ‘Scusa Carlo’. Perera joked: “Sorry Carlo. We’ll have to find out who that Carlo is. It doesn’t say sorry Daniil!” Medvedev, who openly admits he’s not a fan of clay, has often joked that these are his least favourite weeks of the season.
However, he’s still managed to achieve results on the surface – he clinched the Italian Open in 2023 and is a former semi-finalist in Monte Carlo – so the defeat was a massive shock. The world No. 10 had been on form this year, securing titles in Brisbane and Dubai, and defeating Carlos Alcaraz en route to the Indian Wells final.
But he suffered a whitewash during a surprising third-round departure in Miami last month, and has now taken two more whitewashes in Monaco.
