Daniil Medvedev's notorious disdain for clay-court tennis reached a dramatic new low in Monte Carlo, as the combustible Russian suffered the first 6-0, 6-0 defeat of his professional career in a stunning 49-minute rout by Matteo Berrettini.

The world number 10, who has previously labeled clay "a surface for losers" and likened playing on it to being "like a dog in the dirt," produced an abject performance. After losing the first set and immediately dropping serve in the second, his frustration boiled over in a spectacular racquet-smashing meltdown that left his equipment in pieces by the courtside bin.

Berrettini, a former Wimbledon finalist ranked 90th and rebuilding after injury, was in flawless form. The Italian wildcard described it as "one of the best performances of my life," stating he missed only three shots in the entire match. His dominant display, featuring relentless power and precision, handed Medvedev a humiliating 'double bagel' where the Russian won no more than two points in the final 11 games.

This result underscores the unique challenges of the clay swing, where patience, heavy topspin, and movement are paramount—a stark contrast to the hard-court prowess of players like Medvedev. In a classy post-match gesture, Berrettini wrote 'scusa Carlo' on a camera lens, apologizing to Italian actor Carlo Verdone, who had recently named Medvedev as his favorite player.

The upset was part of a chaotic day in Monte Carlo, which also saw world number 15 Andrey Rublev fall in straight sets to Belgium's Zizou Bergs, while top seeds Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz successfully opened their own clay-court campaigns.