Daniil Medvedev was on the wrong side of an umpire's calls for the second time this week at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters, and he let it be known.
The Russian was playing compatriot Karen Khachanov in what didn't look like a complicated matchup for him but ended up being just that. He broke early in the match but then lost his serve as well.
He would break once more and then lose his serve again, with Khachanov ultimately winning the opening set as Medvedev double-faulted on set point. The Russian was growing frustrated as the match went on, but Khachanov kept playing above his usual level.
Things boiled over at 5-5 in the second set when the Russian got broken for a 5-6 deficit, which Khachanov would turn into a 7-5 second-set win and, ultimately, a match win.
The point that gave Khachanov a double break point in the eleventh game was controversial because he played a forehand that looked quite wide in real time; however, there was no reaction from the line or chair umpire.
Medvedev continued to play but went over to check the mark after losing the point and saw how wide it was. After that, he was quite angry, unable to understand how umpire Carlos Bernardes missed the call.
He threw his racquet after losing the game, earning a code violation. He then asked for the supervisor who came, and Medvedev repeatedly asked him who would take action for these bad calls. He correctly explained that he shouldn't have to umpire the match.
"Who will take action? Who will take responsibility? It's not my responsibility to referee the matches?"
It was a pretty crucial point, and there is a huge difference between 30-30 and 15-40. Medvedev would earn another code violation for his comments toward the umpire, starting the following game with a 0-15 deficit.
Still, the Russian made a fair point, even though in a bit excessive anger, as he or any other player shouldn't be expected to keep track of where the ball falls, and somebody should take responsibility for these momentum-shifting calls, as this was the second time it happened against him in two matches.
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