Daniil Medvedev Expresses Frustration Towards Officials Again, Exits Monte-Carlo Masters

Daniil Medvedev expressed frustration towards officials for the second day in a row during his match against Karen Khachanov at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He believed that a decision made during the match was incorrect and had a significant impact on the outcome.

During the match, after losing the first set 6-3 and with the second set tied at 5-5, an erroneous call was made by officials. They ruled that a shot from Khachanov was in play, even though replays revealed that the ball had actually missed the white lines of the court.

Khachanov earned two break points and took advantage of the second one after a double fault by Medvedev.

After the match, the 2021 US Open champion showed his frustration by throwing his racket against the court wall.

When he returned to his chair between games, the 28-year-old was quick to express his anger to chair umpire Carlos Bernardes and match referee Cedric Mourier. He believed there was a missed call from the officials.

“You need to look at the mark, it's clearly out. They don't know how to referee anymore. The mark is out, someone needs to take action,” Medvedev expressed to Mourier. “Yesterday, the ball was out but called in. Who will take responsibility for this ball being out? Someone needs to take action.”

The responsibility of refereeing the matches does not fall on me. It is the man in glasses who is in charge. Despite wearing glasses, he seems to miss a lot and should not be a referee. The action is right in front of him, yet he still fails to make the right calls. He is not a good referee and should be replaced. This is clay court, not hard court, so it's clearly out.

Medvedev expressed his frustration, saying, "This is the second day in a row, guys. Open your eyes! Sit there and actually do something."

At the end of his outburst, he lost a point for the next game. This was crucial because Khachanov managed to keep his serve and win the match 6-3, 7-5, securing his spot in the quarterfinals.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev looks on from the bench as he competes against France's Gael Monfils during their Monte-Carlo Masters match on April 10, 2024.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev looks on from the bench as he competes against France's Gael Monfils during their Monte-Carlo Masters match on April 10, 2024.

Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

Medvedev showed his anger for two days. It all started when he was told not to shout at a line judge by experienced chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani during a tense moment in his match against Gaël Monfils.

The world No. 4 got upset with two calls made by the line judge on his baseline while serving at 1-2 in the second set. The first call was when the 28-year-old hit a powerful winner off a shot from Monfils, but it was called out by the line judge.

Lahyani checked the ball mark on the clay court and decided that the ball was in. However, television replays from Hawk-Eye later revealed that Monfils' shot was actually out.

In clay court matches, Hawk-Eye is not utilized for checking calls. Umpires are responsible for coming down to the court to inspect the ball marks themselves.

The next point, the line judge called Monfils' shot in, which surprised Medvedev. He had already started to move away, thinking it would be called out.

Medvedev started to shrug and gesture towards the line judge. Lahyani then intervened and declared that the shot was out. This caused Medvedev to start angrily criticizing the judge.

“Don’t shout at him,” Lahyani said to Medvedev. “Please, don’t shout at him. He can make a mistake as well, everybody can.”

Mohamed Lahyani had to ask Medvedev not to shout at the line judge in Wednesday's match.

Mohamed Lahyani had to ask Medvedev not to shout at the line judge in Wednesday's match.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Medvedev was ahead 40-15 but ended up losing the game, putting him behind 4-1 in the second set. During the changeover, he continued his heated conversation with Lahyani, filled with swear words.

In a moment of frustration, Medvedev angrily hit and shook the shade cover on his chair.

“It’s out! It’s out!” Medvedev screamed at Lahyani.

After the changeover, he went on to win five straight games to close out the match.

Editor's P/S:

Daniil Medvedev's frustration at the Monte-Carlo Masters is understandable. Incorrect calls can have a significant impact on the outcome of a match, and it is frustrating for players to feel that they are not being officiated fairly. Medvedev's comments about the officials' lack of competence and the need for accountability are valid. It is important for referees to be accurate and consistent in their calls, and when they make mistakes, they should be held accountable.

Medvedev's outburst also highlights the need for Hawk-Eye technology to be used in all clay court matches. Hawk-Eye is a valuable tool that can help to eliminate incorrect calls and ensure that matches are officiated fairly. It is time for the ATP Tour to implement Hawk-Eye in all clay court tournaments to improve the accuracy of officiating and reduce the frustration of players.