“Please Default Me”: Daniil Medvedev During His Opening Round Match Against Aslan Karatsev at Italian Open 2021

World No.2 Daniil Medvedev lost his third consecutive match in Rome as he was defeated by fellow Russian Aslan Karatsev in the second round of Italian Open 2021. The match ended with the usual Medvedev ranting that was ever-present last week in Madrid as well.

Medvedev‘s problems with the clay court continued in Rome as well. Karatsev cut short the third seed’s torrid time on the court. The match was highly anticipated as Karatsev was in fiery form and Medvedev was World No.2. Until 2-2, Medvedev didn’t show any signs of cracking.

Daniil Medvedev fails in the first set against Aslan Karatsev

But serving at 2-2, Medvedev’s troubles with clay surfaced as Karatsev caught his movement. Medvedev was quickly broken and Karatsev led 3-2. Furthermore, Medvedev’s problems didn’t end there. He continued to make the same mistakes, and Karatsev broke him for the second time in the match to see the opportunity to serve for the match.

Karatsev had to work a little on his serve to win the set. He converted his second set point to win a dominant first set, 6-2.

Daniil Medvedev’s ranting at Italian Open 2021

Medvedev showed some progress in the second set as he toned down his mistakes, but his mental strength was volatile. Although he couldn’t break Karatsev, he was decent on his serve and continued ahead. Finally, leading 3-2 in the second set, Medvedev saw his first break point of the match but failed to convert it, and Karatsev leveled the set.

But a disheartened Medvedev lost focus and gave Karatsev the breakpoint. Karatsev graciously accepted the point and converted it to break Medvedev and march towards a famous victory. As he was livid with himself, Medvedev started his usual ranting on the court, this time in Italian. Seeing Medvedev rant, his other compatriot Andrey Rublev was seen laughing in the stands.

Seeing his imminent loss, Medvedev pleaded to the supervisor, Gerry Armstrong to default him from the match. With such negative energy, Medvedev didn’t win a point on Karatsev’s serve from 3-3.

“Gerry, please default me, it would be better for everybody,” Medvedev said.

In just 78 minutes, Karatsev finished the match and sent the World No.2 packing – 6-2, 6-4.