Daniil Medvedev, world number 10, suffered a shocking second-round defeat to world number 90 Matteo Berrettini in just 49 minutes, underscoring his long-standing disdain for clay courts. The Russian, who has called clay “a surface for losers” and likened playing on it to “being like a dog in the dirt,” struggled from the outset. After dropping the first set and immediately falling behind in the second, Medvedev threw his racquet against the back hoardings, then smashed it six more times on the court, ultimately breaking it in half.
Medvedev managed no more than two points in the final 11 games, finishing with 28 unforced errors, five double faults, and winning just four of 21 points on his second serve. The display continued a pattern of fiery outbursts, reminiscent of his infamous US Open meltdown last year.
Medvedev Suffers Humiliating 49 Minute Defeat to Berrettini in Clay Court MeltdownBerrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist making a comeback from injury, called the match “one of the best performances of my life,” crediting flawless execution and a perfect game plan. He wrote “scusa Carlo” on the camera lens afterward, a nod to Italian actor Carlo Verdone, who had recently praised Medvedev.
With the victory, Berrettini advances to face rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca, while another top-15 player, Andrey Rublev, also exited early, losing 6-4, 6-1 to Belgium’s Zizou Bergs. Medvedev’s defeat highlights his ongoing struggles on clay and casts doubt on his chances in upcoming tournaments on the surface.
