Daniil Medvedev lost his temper in spectacular fashion after a surprising quarterfinal defeat at the ATP 500 tournament in Washington. The Russian tennis star, currently ranked 14th in the world, hurled his racket toward the spectators and attempted to smash a ceramic bottle against the court surface after falling to 59th-ranked Corentin Moutet.
The match started promisingly for the former world number one, who confidently claimed the first set 6:1. However, Moutet staged an impressive comeback, taking the next two sets 6:4, 6:4 to secure the upset victory.
"This behavior is unacceptable on the professional tour," tennis commentators noted as Medvedev's tantrum drew loud boos from the Washington crowd.
This isn't the first time this season that Medvedev has made headlines for the wrong reasons. At the Australian Open, he received a substantial fine for destroying a television camera and displaying unsportsmanlike conduct. In Dubai, he accused a judge of "Russophobia" during another emotional outburst, while at Wimbledon, he smashed his racket directly on the court after a disappointing first-round exit.
To make matters worse, the Russian player's form has taken a noticeable dive. He hasn't lifted a trophy since May 2023 and has now lost six consecutive finals. Talk about a frustrating stretch for a player who once sat atop the world rankings.
Interestingly, Medvedev found himself in a similar situation back in May during the Masters tournament in Rome. When Italian fans booed him during his match against local favorite Lorenzo Musetti, the Russian responded with a gesture signaling for silence – further antagonizing the crowd.
Will the ATP impose additional penalties for this latest outburst? Given his growing list of on-court tantrums, Medvedev might want to consider anger management before his next tournament.
