The 4th in the world had already suffered on Monday before winning against the Serbian Hamad Medjedovic, from qualifying, 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-5. Finalist at the Australian Open in January, then at Indian Wells in March, Medvedev has been unrecognizable since he set foot on clay this year.
He fell in the round of 16 in Monte Carlo, then was forced to retire due to a sore hip in the quarter-final in Madrid. The Masters 1000 in Rome, the last major meeting before Roland-Garros (May 26-June 9), lost its outgoing champion Medvedev, the world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, its most successful player, Rafael Nadal, before the quarter-finals. ,
The Italian Jannik Sinner, attraction at the start of the season, did not show up at the Foro Italico, injured in a hip. Of the eight top 10 players competing in Rome, five have already been eliminated.