Daniil Medvedev ‘happy’ his clay season is over after shock Roland Garros defeat

Daniil Medvedev appears to have gone back to ‘hating’ clay, following his shock first round Roland Garros defeat to qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild.

Medvedev was coming into the clay major with the most success he had ever had on the surface, having won the Italian Open, but could not back that up and lost to No.172 Seyboth Wild in five-sets.

The tournament’s second seed spoke to press after the match, revealing all the different things he did not like about the dirt, “Today, because [of the] wind, dry court, I had a mouthful of clay since probably the third game of the match, and I don’t like it.”

He continued, “I don’t know if people like to eat clay, to have clay in their bags, their shoes, the socks, white socks; you can throw them into [the] garbage after clay season. Maybe some people like it. I don’t.”

“I am happy to have it finished. I’m going to have to have a good time off. Have to find positives. A lot of, yeah, a lot of relaxing next days. Happy to go to the next challenges even if, for sure, I wanted to stay longer in Paris, even if it’s clay.”

Seyboth Wild had never previously won a main draw match at a Grand Slam tournament, and the Brazilian labelled his shock triumph over Medvedev as a ‘dream come true’.

“I watched Daniil play since I was junior and beating him on such a court is a dream come true,’ Seyboth Wild said. “I tried to use my forehand against his and it worked pretty well. I started cramping at the start of the second set but I used my mental strength to play my best tennis.”

Medvedev suggested that he would be taking some time off before heading into the grass court season, with the No.2 able to play Wimbledon this year due to The Championships overturning their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players.

Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros

Medvedev’s first round exit is his earliest defeat at the tournament since 2020, with the 27-year-old reaching as far as the quarter-finals in 2021.

Here is his full history at Roland Garros:

Win-loss record: 7-7 (50%)

2017: Lost in the first round to Benjamin Bonzi (wildcard), 7-5 4-6 1-6 1-3 (retired)

2018: Lost in the first round to Lucas Pouille (15), 2-6 3-6 4-6

2019: Lost in the first round to Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 6-4 6-4 3-6 2-6 5-7

2020: Lost in the first round to Marton Fucsovics, 4-6 6(3)-7 6-2 1-6

2021: Lost in the quarter-final to Stefanos Tsitsipas (5), 3-6 6(3)-7 5-7

2022: Lost in the fourth round to Marin Cilic (20), 2-6 3-6 2-6

2023: Lost in the first round to Thiago Seyboth Wild (Q), 6(5)-7 7-6(6) 6-2 3-6 4-6.

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