Daniil Medvedev’s Monte Carlo Masters campaign ended in controversy and frustration as he clashed with officials over officiating errors. In a round-of-16 match against Karen Khachanov, Medvedev’s outburst erupted after a shot from Khachanov went uncalled in the penultimate game.
Medvedev, the former world No. 1, was visibly upset, exclaiming, “They don’t know how to referee anymore. Open your freaking eyes!” He had previously lost a long rally and checked a mark that Hawkeye Live confirmed was out, but he had not stopped the point to request a review.
Broken the next point, Medvedev flung his racquet and approached the chair, only to be met by physios who mistakenly thought he had called for a medical timeout. The confusion escalated as Medvedev demanded accountability from supervisor Cedric Mourier.
“Who will take action?” Medvedev asked. “Yesterday, the ball is out. It’s called in. Who will take action? This ball is out. Who will take responsibility? It’s not my responsibility to referee the matches.”
Medvedev’s frustration stemmed from a similar incident in his opening-round match against Gaël Monfils, where an incorrect call was backed up by umpire Mohamed Layhani. He had vowed to control his emotional outbursts in 2024, but the officiating errors proved too much to bear.
Despite calming down to defeat Monfils, Medvedev’s outburst against Khachanov resulted in a warning for the racquet toss and a point penalty for the rant. He ultimately bowed out of Monte Carlo, 6-3, 7-5.
In his post-match press conference, Medvedev acknowledged the need to control his emotions, especially during the upcoming clay-court season. “Sometimes if you don’t control the crazy in the moment, you have to control the crazy after the moment,” he said.
