Daniil Medvedev smashed his racket several times then placed the remnants in a courtside dustbin during a humbling 6-0, 6-0 loss to Italian wildcard Matteo Berrettini at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday, as the world No 10 suffered his first tour-level defeat without winning a game.
Medvedev capitulated in 49 minutes, failing to earn a game point on his own serve and committing 27 unforced errors.
It was the first time Berrettini had won a tour-level match 6-0 6-0 and his first win over a top-10 opponent since defeating Alexander Zverev in Monte Carlo last season.
“I think it was one of the best performances of my life,” Berrettini said. “I think I missed three shots in the entire match and it is not easy against a tricky player like Daniil. I think the game plan was perfect and my weapons were working.”
Medvedev’s outburst comes amid renewed discussion around how players express their frustration during matches. The world No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, backed the idea of “rage rooms” where players can vent their frustrations away from the cameras, in response to Coco Gauff’s racket-smashing incident at the Australian Open, where the American was unaware her actions were being broadcast worldwide.