Daniil Medvedev has endured a shaky start to his French Open campaign. Coming into the tournament fresh off an impressive semifinal run at the Italian Open, the Russian was seen as one of the stronger contenders in the draw. However, Medvedev’s struggles on clay resurfaced quickly during his opening-round clash against Australia’s Adam Walton. He dropped the first set 2-6 in just 33 minutes and appeared visibly uncomfortable in the intense Paris heat.

Frustrated by the conditions, the Russian was repeatedly seen complaining about the temperature on court, which eventually led to an interesting exchange with his wife, Daria Medvedeva, from the stands.

As Medvedev appeared to be rattled due to the hot conditions, his wife tried to calm him down from the stands and told him to keep a check on his emotions. “It’s hot for everyone. We’re all suffering from it. You have to behave!”

However, Medvedev didn’t look to be too pleased with what his wife was saying and replied, “When I start finding the court I’ll start to behave.”

Daniil Medvedev initially struggled to find rhythm on serve, with Adam Walton dictating the early exchanges and piling on the pressure. But as the match wore on, the momentum shifted in the second set, with Walton beginning to struggle in the intense Paris heat.

Medvedev capitalised quickly, fighting back strongly to take the second set 6-1 and level the match. Walton then required a medical timeout after the set, receiving treatment and medication from the doctor on court.

Just when the Russian seemed to have seized control, the contest swung again in the third set. The World No. 8 couldn’t find his range as Walton responded with a dominant 6-1 set of his own to retake the lead.

Despite the setback, Medvedev showed no signs of folding in the fourth set. The Russian steadied himself immediately and stormed through the opening games, winning the next five straight to reassert control of the match.

He took the fourth set 6-1 to level the match once again and take it to a decider. Following such a dominant performance, it looked like Russian was the clear favorite to win the final set and clinch the match. However, Walton had other plans.

Despite being under immense pressure, the Australian gave stern challenge to Medvedev in the final set. Walton managed to take a 5-4 lead as the set looked to be headed for the tiebreaker. But Medvedev faltered big time with his serve at a crucial stage provided Walton with a chance to get the decisive break.

The Russian’s Roland Garros run ended in disappointment once again, as Medvedev suffered a first-round exit in Paris for the second consecutive year. The defeat came after a rollercoaster five-set battle against Walton, with Medvedev unable to hold off the momentum swing in the deciding set, eventually going down 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Medvedev has fallen in the opening round of a Grand Slam with his wife watching from the stands, a pattern he also experienced at last year’s US Open, adding another frustrating chapter to his mixed fortunes on the biggest stages.

Daniil Medvedev’s wife left embarrassed after defeat to Benjamin Bonzi

Medvedev’s match at the US Open last year took a chaotic turn at Louis Armstrong Stadium during a tense first-round clash against Bonzi. After falling two sets behind, Medvedev mounted an impressive comeback to force a deciding fifth set, turning the match on its head.

But drama struck late in the decider when a photographer inadvertently stepped onto the court during match point, forcing play to be halted. The chair umpire ruled that Bonzi would be awarded a first-serve redo, a decision that visibly infuriated Medvedev.

Frustrated, the Russian directed heated remarks towards the umpire, while his wife, Medvedeva, was seen in the stands watching in disbelief.

“Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home, guys,” he furiously said to the umpire.

But the umpire didn’t change his decision, and Bonzi eventually won the match 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 0-6, 6-4. Following this, Medvedeva was seen leaving the stadium as his husband smashed his racket on the sidelines in one final meltdown.

Medvedev may not have endured a dramatic on-court meltdown at the French Open this time, but the defeat to Adam Walton will still sting just as sharply. With his clay-court season coming to an abrupt end in Paris, the Russian will now turn his attention to the grass swing beginning next month, hoping for a much-needed reset on a surface that better suits his game.