Hard blow for Daniil Medvedev. The new world number 1, among the great favorites of the Indian Wells Masters 1,000, was eliminated in the third round, overthrown 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 by the French Gaël Monfils (seeded number 26) this Monday.
The Russian, who took his place at the top of the world hierarchy, will lose it next Monday, in favor of the Serbian Novak Djokovic, absent from California because not vaccinated against Covid-19 and in fact not authorized to go to the United States.
At first imperial, the epic finalist of the last Australian Open gradually lost the thread in a 2nd set started with a service under the spoon superbly touched by Monfils. The 26th in the world, lagging behind physically for a month possibly due to a reaction to the vaccine, scored seven games in a row, driven by his first-ball quality and the power of his forehand. Author of 37 unforced errors, Medvedev saved six match points before dropping the case. Monfils will face the young Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16.