Daniil Medvedev, looking to regain the form that propelled him to the top of the ATP rankings in 2022, faced an early exit at the Rome Open after falling to Lorenzo Musetti in the Round of 16. While the loss was significant, much of the post-match conversation centered around a contentious moment involving the Italian crowd.
Medvedev, down a set and serving at 5-3 in the second, was visibly frustrated as he gestured for silence amid a chorus of boos. The umpire intervened, asking the boisterous crowd to calm down, but the disruption delayed Medvedevâs serve by over 30 seconds.
After the match, Medvedev clarified that his frustration wasnât directed at the crowd as a whole but at specific individuals in the front row. âHonestly, it was the opposite. I noticed it when I walked onto the court. No, the crowd supported me quite well today,â Medvedev told Russian outlet Bolshe. âOf course, like in every matchânot even against the Italiansâthere were people in the front row who were insulting me, so at one point, I reacted to itâ.
Despite the exchange, Medvedev emphasized that the overall atmosphere was not hostile. âIn general, I think the crowd and the atmosphere were great. Iâve had much more hostile crowds that tried to make me lose my temper,â he continued. âTodayâs crowd was fine, except for the people Iâve mentioned. But itâs thousands of people in the stadium and ten of themâ.
Medvedev reflects on the rain-delayed match
The match itself was plagued by delays due to persistent rain, adding another layer of difficulty to an already challenging encounter. The contest was halted just as Musetti held match point, forcing both players to repeatedly adjust their preparations.
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âThey kept postponing the matchâanother 30 minutes, and another,â Medvedev explained. âIt was raining, so I just kept doing physical exercises. I think Lorenzo [Musetti] was doing the same because at one point, I think we were supposed to return to the court, and then the hail started. So I just did the exercises, tried to be mentally prepared, because one point can decide the fate of the matchâ.
When play resumed, Medvedev was unable to turn the tide. âThe score was close, but I couldnât do it. I think itâs easier to play that match point when itâs your match point, and not when itâs against you,â he admitted. âI couldnât allow myself to take risks, to play freely, because I wouldnât forgive myselfâ.
âI had to let him play on match point,â he added. âBut he has the match point. If he loses it, it will be deuce, so he can allow himself to hit it as hard as he wants to, to hit a winner, and thatâs what he did. So yeah, thatâs why Iâm disappointedâ.
