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After 4 hours, 15 minutes, and five agonizing sets, Daniil Medvedev needed just seconds to pack up his bag and find his way off the court at Philippe Chatrier.
He had just become the first top-two seed in a men’s draw at a major to lose in the opening round since 2003, and the first at the French Open since 2000, with a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Thiago Seyboth Wild, a qualifier ranked No. 172 in the world. It was not how Medvedev envisioned his time in Paris.
“For sure I’m really disappointed,” Medvedev told reporters after the match. “I’m going to be one week thinking about this match, but for the moment I don’t see anything wrong I did. I mean, double faults, the wind was crazy today, so it was not easy.”
The 27-year-old had arrived at Roland Garros brimming with confidence and playing the best tennis of his career on clay. Medvedev won his first title on the surface at the Italian Open, a Masters 1000-level event, less than two weeks ago. During his news conference Friday, he said he felt “amazing” and had “more expectations” for himself than usual at the tournament because of his success in Rome. He was even a betting favorite at the event for the first time.
But that all came to a crashing halt Tuesday. Seyboth Wild never eased up, even when he began cramping in the second set, and refused to back down, even in a roller-coaster deciding set.
“I’m not going to look at it back on TV but my feeling was that he played well,” Medvedev said. “You know, I don’t think I played that bad, but he played well. … [It’s] great for him to play like this today. I honestly hope he’s going to play like this later on, because if not, I’m going to be disappointed. I’m going to be like, ‘Why today? Why not in two days?'”
It was the first major main draw victory for Seyboth Wild. He’ll next face Guido Pella in the second round Thursday. Medvedev will be long gone by then and deciding what to do next. He just reclaimed the No. 2 ranking following his victory in Rome, and now could be surpassed by the end of the fortnight.
It might be a long few months for Medvedev before the tour heads back to the hard court.
While he has historically been slightly better on grass than clay, Medvedev isn’t exactly known for his prowess on that surface either. He won the title in Mallorca, a 250-level tournament, in 2021, and reached the finals at the Libema Open and the Halle Open in 2022. He had his best result at Wimbledon with a fourth-round appearance in 2021 but was barred from playing at the event last season along with his fellow Russian and Belarusian players.
Medvedev did not share his full grass-court schedule on Tuesday, but did say he would play the Halle Open before heading to Wimbledon, and was honest about his feelings, and chances, on the surface.
“It’s not easy to play on grass,” Medvedev said. “I cannot even say I love it, but [it’s] better than on clay. Last year I managed to make pretty good results to [the Halle] final. So I’m going to try to manage to do better this year in Wimbledon than the years before.”
Then it’s back to the summer hard-court season. Beginning in early August, the US Open series has been the site of many of Medvedev’s greatest career achievements. He made his breakthrough in 2019, with a victory in Cincinnati and his first major final appearance in New York soon after. He then won his first, and only, Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, just weeks after hoisting the trophy at the Canadian Open. Medvedev was upset in the fourth round at the 2022 US Open by Nick Kyrgios in four sets but, barring injury, will undoubtedly again be a favorite to win this year.
But before the season turns to grass or hard court, Medvedev, utilizing his trademark brand of humor, said there were at least some silver linings about his early exit from the French Open.
“Every time [the clay season] finishes I’m happy,” Medvedev said. “So I’m happy. I’m happy again. Doesn’t matter, one time quarters, one time fourth round, a lot of times first round. … Today I had wind, dry court, I had a mouthful of clay since probably third game of the match, and I don’t like it. I don’t know if people like to eat clay, to have clay in their bags, in their shoes, the socks, white socks, you can throw them to garbage after clay season. Maybe some people like it. I don’t.
“I am happy to have it finished. I’m going to have to have a good time off. Have to find positives. A lot of, relaxing [over the] next days. Happy to go to the next challenges even if, for sure, I wanted to stay longer in Paris, even if it’s clay.”
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