Daniil Medvedev was looking to return to the Italian Open quarterfinals, having won the title last time he did so in 2023.
The Russian star began his Italian Open campaign in fine form, taking down Cameron Norrie in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
Carrying that momentum through to his third-round match, Medvedev beat Alexei Popyrin, 6-4, 6-1, to advance to the last 16.
There he came up against home-favorite Lorenzo Musetti, who has recently broken into the world’s top ten.
Photo by Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images
Unable to book his place in the quarterfinals, Medvedev lost to Musetti, 5-7, 4-6, in a match not without incident.
Speaking after his Italian Open exit, the ATP Tour’s 11th-ranked player gave his verdict on the crowd after an incident during the match.
Daniil Medvedev says fans in the front row were ‘insulting’ him during defeat to Lorenzo Musetti
Russian media outlet, Bolshe, asked Medvedev whether he found the crowd ‘annoying’ during his defeat to home-favorite Musetti in Rome.
“Honestly, it was the opposite, I noticed it when I walked onto the court. No, the crowd supported me quite well today,” said Medvedev.
“Of course, like in every match, not even against the Italians, there were people in the front row who were insulting me, so at one point I reacted to it.
“But in general, I think the crowd and the atmosphere were great, and it wasn’t… I’ve had much more hostile crowds that tried to make me lose my temper.
“Today’s crowd was fine, except the people I’ve mentioned, but it’s thousands of people in the stadium and ten of them.”
Photo by Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images
Medvedev’s clash with the crowd would’ve been the story of the day in normal circumstances, but the weather had other ideas.
His Italian opponent had match point at 7-5, 5-4, 40-30, when the heavens opened in Rome.
Both players went to the back and didn’t return for hours, before Musetti finally converted his match point to move forward in the Italian Open draw.
Medvedev now explains why the delay made his defeat to Musetti all the more ‘disappointing’.
“They kept postponing the match, another 30 minutes, another, and another,” he said.
“It was raining so I just kept doing physical exercises. I think Lorenzo [Musetti] was doing the same, because at one point I think we were supposed to return to the court, and then the hail started. So I just did the exercises, tried to be mentally prepared, because one point can decide the fate of the match.
“The score was close, but I couldn’t do it. I think it’s easier to play that match point when it’s your match point, and not when it’s against you.
“I couldn’t allow myself to take risks, to play freely, because I wouldn’t forgive myself.
“I had to let him play on match point. But he has the match point; if he loses it, it will be deuce, so he can allow himself to hit it as hard as he wants to, to hit a winner, and that’s what he did.
“So yeah, that’s why I’m disappointed.”
Medvedev is aware that he was outplayed by Musetti in Rome, but remains frustrated he wasn’t able to come away with the win.
Stats from Lorenzo Musetti and Daniil Medvedev’s Rome clash
“In general, it was a disappointing match. It was close, he was still better, but in tennis and in sports in general, the best doesn’t always win, and that’s why I am disappointed,” he said.
“The rain delay made it even more poignant, because as an athlete, you always believe in a comeback, that one point can turn the match around.
“But I lost that point, that’s why I’m even more disappointed. I wouldn’t have felt like that if I’d lost the match without the rain delay.”
Daniil Medvedev thinks his level is ‘very high’ ahead of the 2025 French Open
Medvedev has a solid yet unspectacular 6-3 record on clay this year, having played all three Masters 1000 events on the surface.
Daniil Medvedev’s clay record in 2025
The former US Open champion was asked to rate his current level, having played nine matches on clay this year.
“It’s hard to say, because if we’re talking about the level of tennis, then I’ve been playing well and for a while. But in sports, it’s the wins that matter,” said Medvedev.
“So there are only two ways. Continuing to improve my level of tennis, which I already think is very high right now, and trying to sometimes win those matches, to feel the confidence, maybe even with the help of luck, so that I can find the form and the match rhythm, because I have the level, I just need to start winning.”
Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Medvedev then looked ahead to Roland Garros, admitting what he’ll need to do if he wants to make a deep run in the French capital.
“If I want to go far at Roland Garros, I might have to face a player like that [Lorenzo Musetti] in the third or fourth round,” he said.
“There’s no special secret to it, I just have to keep practising, to try to play even better. It’s not that bad, but it could’ve been even better.”
Medvedev will return to action at the French Open, which is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 25.