Surprising Defeat at Monte Carlo Masters
MONACO – In a surprising turn of events at the Monte Carlo Masters, Daniil Medvedev, a former world No. 1 and currently ranked 10th, faced a humiliating defeat against Matteo Berrettini, ending the match with a staggering score of 6-0, 6-0. During the encounter, Medvedev’s frustration boiled over, leading him to smash his racket against the red clay court not just once, but seven times before ultimately discarding the wreckage into a trash bin, visibly upset by his performance.
Match Highlights
The incident unfolded midway through the second set when Medvedev struggled to find his rhythm, dropping his opening service game after landing a forehand into the net. This setback put him in an early hole at 0-2. In a moment of anger, he slammed his racket near the baseline and continued to smash it until it was rendered unusable, drawing sarcastic cheers from the spectators who witnessed the spectacle.
Medvedev’s match lasted a mere 49 minutes, during which he tallied five double faults compared to Berrettini’s flawless performance, with no double faults recorded. Furthermore, only 36% of Medvedev’s first serves found the mark, while Berrettini succeeded with 65%. Over the course of the match, Medvedev managed to secure just 17 out of 67 total points.
Historic Victory for Berrettini
This match marked a dramatic reversal from the previous three encounters between the two, all of which Medvedev had won decisively. Notably, Berrettini’s victory was historic; according to Opta, he became only the fifth player since the ATP rankings began in 1973 to hand a top-10 opponent a double bagel – a term for a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline. The last occurrence of such a score in the ATP was a decade ago when David Goffin defeated Tomas Berdych at the Italian Open.
Reactions and Reflections
Despite the emphatic nature of the win, Berrettini expressed surprise at the outcome, stating,
“I wouldn’t expect to win like that, and it doesn’t happen that often.”
The Italian’s success comes as he fights to regain his form following injury struggles, and he is currently ranked 90th after receiving a wild-card entry into the Monte Carlo event.
In a year where Medvedev has previously triumphed over world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to reach the finals at Indian Wells, this was his opening match on clay for the season, marking a stark contrast in his performance amidst obvious frustration against Berrettini. Reflecting on his performance, the victorious Berrettini praised his own play, declaring,
“It was definitely one of the best performances of my life. I think I missed three shots in the whole match.”
