Monte Carlo Masters: Medvedev Endures Worst Career Loss On Clay

Monaco, France: Russian star Daniil Medvedev endured one of the toughest losses of his career, crashing out of the Monte Carlo Masters after a stunning 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the second round.

The world No. 10 struggled throughout the 49-minute contest, failing to find rhythm on the clay surface — one he has previously admitted disliking. After dropping the opening set, Medvedev’s frustration boiled over early in the second, when he smashed his racquet repeatedly before snapping it in half, drawing a mix of gasps and amusement from the crowd.

Medvedev’s performance was plagued by errors, as he committed 28 unforced mistakes and five double faults, while winning only four of 21 points behind his second serve. He managed to claim just two points across the final 11 games, marking the first “double bagel” loss of his professional career.

Wildcard entrant Berrettini, currently rebuilding his ranking after injury setbacks, delivered an inspired display. The 2021 Wimbledon finalist described the victory as “one of the best performances of my life,” adding that his game plan worked perfectly and his weapons were firing throughout. The Italian now advances to face Brazil’s rising talent Joao Fonseca in the next round.

Elsewhere, Russia’s Andrey Rublev also suffered an early exit, falling 6-4, 6-1 to Belgium’s Zizou Bergs.

Meanwhile, the battle for the top ranking intensified as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz opened their clay-court campaigns with commanding wins. Sinner required just over an hour to defeat France’s Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-0, extending his impressive Masters 1000 winning streak and strengthening his push for the world No. 1 position.

Defending champion Alcaraz also looked sharp, beating Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-3 in his first clay match of the season. The Spaniard acknowledged the pressure of defending ranking points but insisted his focus remains on finding rhythm on clay rather than the standings.

With the gap between the two narrowing heading into the European clay swing, the Monte Carlo tournament could play a key role in determining who claims the world No. 1 spot in the coming weeks.

(Source: BBC Sports)

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