Daniil Medvedev destroyed his racket after blowing the first set of his ATP Finals match in “calamitous” fashion.
While serving to stay in it against Taylor Fritz, the world No. 4 fired down three doubles faults in a row to gift his opponent the set.
Medvedev’s mistakes stunned commentators. And he quickly unleashed his frustration, smashing his racket and throwing it to the side of the court.
Medvedev and Fritz were neck-and-neck in the first singles match of the week in Turin.
There had been zero break points in the opening set until the Russian served to stay in it while 4-5 down. Medvedev had a strong start to the game – he won one of the longest rallies of the match with a drop shot to level at 15-15.
And an unreturnable serve put him ahead at 30-15. But the all-important shot suddenly abandoned him and he hit three consecutive double faults to give Fritz the set 6-4.
“Well, a calamitous service game. Three doubles in a row. Hands Taylor Fritz the first set here in Turin,” Lee Goodall said on commentary before Medvedev ruined his racket.
“And there’s the reaction, no wonder,” he added as the world No. 4 smashed his stick into his bench and onto the floor, tossing it behind him.
While Colin Fleming didn’t want to see racket abuse, he couldn’t blame Medvedev for his reaction. The Scottish co-commentator replied: “Unbelievable.
“Never like to see that sort of behaviour, obliterating the racket, but I can understand why he’s frustrated.”
The former world No. 1 has been struggling with his second serve of late. He had one of his worst double-faulting performances ever when he lost his opening match at the recent Paris Masters.
“The second-serve gremlins have remained from Paris. He lost his first match there to Alexei Popyrin, hit 14 double faults in that match,” Fleming continued.
“And seven in this first set, three in a row to lose it. Not surprised he went for the big second serve, just ran out of patience, didn’t he?
“The rest of his game looked pretty tidy, as did Taylor Fritz’s though. Just the second serve you have to say has cost Daniil Medvedev the first set.”
As both players returned to the baseline to begin the second set, the chair umpire announced a racket abuse warning for Medvedev.
The Russian had chances to break in the first few games of the second set but he couldn’t take any of his opportunities.
