A visibly frustrated Daniil Medvedev argues with the chair umpire during last year's US Open. (Getty Images)
World No.3 Daniil Medvedev just lost it at the ongoing Madrid Open
Medvedev will be entering murky waters soon. He will be taking part in the Roland Garros 2021, which is set to begin later this month.
The Australian Open 2021 finalist has enjoyed success in all the courts, except clay. He has never gone past even the first round of the French Open, ever!
And a recent incident at the ongoing Madrid Open, typified the Russian’s struggles in the clay court.
He took on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Round of 32 of the Madrid Open. After losing the first set he was seen smashing the racquet on the court, uttering angrily, the words, “I don’t want to play here on this surface.”
He was then told by the umpire to not damage the surface after swiping the court repeatedly with the racquet.
A frustrated Medvedev then shouted:
“It’s already broken. It’s bad surface. Me I cannot do damage to bad surface.”
Despite throwing tantrums after dropping the first set, Medvedev stormed to victory, as he came back remarkably to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
This was Medvedev’s first win on clay, with his last win coming way back in April 2019, at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
And, his opponent? The world no.1 Novak Djokovic himself. After beating Djokovic in the quarter-finals that day, he went on to lose in the very next match against Dusan Lajovic.
It looks like Medvedev has found his touch in the clay court as well.
Medvedev also has another achievement to accomplish, ahead of him.
If he makes it to the semi-finals of the ongoing Madrid Open and the upcoming Rome Masters, and wins the title in at least one of the two, he might displace Djokovic as the world no.1; provided Nole doesn’t make it to the Rome Masters final.
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