PARIS: Daniil Medvedev dropped out of contention for the year-end No. 1 ranking by losing to Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday, and then was booed off the court after remonstrating with the crowd during the match.
The crowd got under Medvedev’s skin in the 11th game of the second set, jeering him as he was about to serve after he had thrown his racket. The third-ranked Russian went back to his chair and complained to the referee before talking directly to the spectators in French.
“If there’s one who whistles, I don’t’ play,” Medvedev told the crowd. “You don’t whistle, I play. So, you shut your mouths.”
From that moment, the crowd overwhelmingly threw its support behind Dimitrov, and Medvedev appeared to make a rude hand gesture toward some spectators as he walked off the court after the loss.
“I play in Bercy much better when there is no crowd at all in attendance,” Medvedev joked at his news conference, referring to winning the Paris Masters title in 2020 during the pandemic in an empty arena. “That’s the only time I won the tournament.”
Dimitrov lost to Medvedev in the second round of the Erste Bank Open in Austria last week, but the Bulgarian hit 45 winners on Wednesday compared to 22 for the Russian, who double-faulted eight times.
Dimitrov whipped a forehand passing shot to break for a 4-2 lead in the final set but he failed to serve out the match at 5-3 as Medvedev saved four match points, including one 47-shot rally.
Medvedev saved two more match points on his serve at 6-5 but Dimitrov jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the decisive tiebreaker and converted his seventh match point with a forehand volley.
That leaves No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz as the only player who can overtake Novak Djokovic as No. 1 at the end of the season, but the Spaniard’s chances also took a hit when he lost to qualifier Roman Safiullin on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the 12th-seeded Tommy Paul can no longer qualify for the ATP Finals after losing to qualifier Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. The 11th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz cruised past Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-2 to stay in contention for the three remaining spots at the eight-man tournament that will be played in Turin from Nov. 12-19.
Before the Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev had already qualified for the ATP Finals.
Djokovic was playing Tomas Martin Etcheverry later.
Medvedev booed by Paris crowd in loss to Dimitrov that rules him out of year-end No. 1 contention
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Medvedev booed by Paris crowd in loss to Dimitrov that rules him out of year-end No. 1 contention
- The crowd got under Medvedev’s skin in the 11th game of the second set, jeering him as he was about to serve after he had thrown his racket
- “If there’s one who whistles, I don’t’ play,” Medvedev told the crowd
Alcaraz and Sabalenka set sights on Australian Open fourth round
- Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two
- Top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka return to the Australian Open battlefield on Friday with fourth round berths at stake, joined in the fight by third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev.
Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two and faces another tricky encounter against French 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
The 22-year-old has again been handed an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, once more following Sabalenka on to Melbourne Park’s center court.
The Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova to kick-off day six where temperatures are forecast to soar.
Alcaraz, who is bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four majors, said his testing 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann in round two served him well.
“I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.
“Just happy that I’m just improving every day after every match. So hopefully being better in the next round.”
Alcaraz has never gone past the quarter-finals in his four trips to Australia.
Should he beat Moutet, he will meet either American 19th seed Tommy Paul or Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to make the last eight once again.
Sabalenka, as the overwhelming favorite, was upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final but insists revenge is not her motivation.
“I look at each match as a new match, new opportunity. I have also been working really hard,” she said.
“For me, it doesn’t matter what was in the past. For me, it’s the new match.”
Like Sabalenka, Gauff has been impressive so far, saying she was “near perfect” in making the third round.
She faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, on Margaret Court Arena.
World number three Gauff takes to the court after Russia’s three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who lines up against Hungary’s Fabian Marozan.
Last year’s beaten finalist Zverev has dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have a tough encounter in an evening clash on John Cain Arena against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.
Women’s seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik are also in action.
Home hope and sixth seed Alex De Minaur has again been awarded the night match on center court, this time against dangerous American Frances Tiafoe.
Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva rounds out the day’s action on Rod Laver Arena in a clash with Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
