Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev erupted in frustration at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday, smashing his racket seven times on the red clay before tossing the broken frame into a trash can during a 6-0, 6-0 rout by Matteo Berrettini.
The 30-year-old Russian, currently ranked 10th, received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct and faces a likely hefty fine after his outburst early in the second set.
Medvedev’s frustration boiled over after a forehand drifted into the net, costing him his opening service game of the set and leaving him down 2-0.
He first slammed his racket near the baseline, then hurled it toward a tarp at the far end of the court.
Not finished, Medvedev repeatedly picked up the racket and smashed it until it was broken enough to fit through an opening in a courtside trash can as the crowd sarcastically cheered him on.
Medvedev, who won the U.S. Open in 2021, lost the match in 49 minutes. He had five double faults to Berrettini’s none, put only 36% of his first serves in play to Berrettini’s 65%, and won only 17 of 67 points.
It was a dramatic turnaround from the previous three meetings between the players, all won by Medvedev.
According to statistics provider Opta, Berrettini became only the fifth player since the ATP rankings began in 1973 to defeat a top-10 opponent 6-0, 6-0, a score known as a double bagel.
The last occurrence was a decade ago, when David Goffin routed Tomas Berdych at the Italian Open.
"I wouldn’t expect to win like that, and it doesn’t happen that often,” Berrettini said.
Medvedev was playing his first match on clay this year, having recently beaten top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz to reach a final on hard courts in Indian Wells, California.
Berrettini, a Wimbledon finalist in 2021 who has struggled with injuries in recent years, is ranked 90th. The Italian received a wild card invitation to Monte Carlo.
"It was definitely one of the best performances of my life,” Berrettini said. "I think I missed three shots in the whole match.”
