LONDON – Daniil Medvedev, ranked ninth in the world and a towering figure at 2.01 meters (6-foot-6), faced an unexpected early departure from another Grand Slam event. He was defeated by Benjamin Bonzi, who is ranked 64th, with scores of 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 during the opening round at Wimbledon on Monday. This loss adds to a pattern of early exits for Medvedev, who also bowed out in the first round of the French Open earlier this year. Furthermore, he suffered a second-round defeat to 19-year-old qualifier Learner Tien at the Australian Open.
Despite these setbacks, Medvedev maintains a calm demeanor. “At the moment, I’m not that worried,” he commented on his current ranking, which places him at No. 9. “If I finish the year somewhere around 15 in the world, maybe I will be more worried. For the moment, I am not.” This perspective comes even as he experiences back-to-back first-round Grand Slam exits, a situation reminiscent of 2017. Back then, he faced similar early elimination in Melbourne during his major debut, followed by another at Roland-Garros.
Adding to his string of early eliminations, Medvedev was ousted in a five-set match against Cameron Norrie in Paris this year. As the second seed at the 2023 French Open, he also endured a shock first-round defeat, losing to Thiago Seyboth Wild, a qualifier who was ranked 172nd.
These unexpected results raise questions about Medvedev’s form at major tournaments, although he remains optimistic about maintaining a strong stance on the global tennis stage. His recent performances, however, highlight the unpredictability and fierce competition present in the Grand Slam circuit.