April 11, (THEWILL) – Former World Number One Daniil Medvedev has been eliminated from the Monte Carlo Masters following a fiery defeat to fellow Russian Karen Khachanov. The fourth-seed Medvedev, who had reached at least the quarter-finals in the last two editions of the tournament, struggled to find his rhythm against the world number 17, eventually succumbing to a 6-3 7-5 loss in the last-16 clash on Thursday.
The match was marked by a series of heated exchanges between Medvedev and the umpire, with the 28-year-old repeatedly voicing his frustrations over several disputed calls. After being issued a point penalty, Medvedev went on to hurl his racket against the backboard, visibly expressing his discontent with the officiating.
Khachanov, who was making his first appearance in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals, capitalised on Medvedev’s unravelling composure to win. The 27-year-old, acknowledged his opponent’s tendency to lose his temper, stating: “Sometimes I know Daniil can lose his mind. Sometimes he uses it as a tool, but it can get out of control sometimes. I tried not to look at him or focus on him, and just serve it out.”
The defeat marked a disappointing end to Medvedev’s Monte Carlo campaign after the former world number one had initially been optimistic about his clay court performances this season.
Khachanov, on the other hand, will now advance to the quarter-finals, where he will look to continue his strong run in the prestigious clay-court tournament.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
