Daniil Medvedev’s struggles this season have continued in Cincinnati, after the Russian crashed out in the second round to Adam Walton.
Medvedev took the first set in a tiebreak, but the Australian fought back to clinch the victory, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1.
The former world number one’s level was expected to improve during the North American hard-court swing, coming back on to his preferred surface.
That hasn’t been the case so far, however, with Medvedev losing in the third round of the Canadian Open, and now his opening bout at the Cincinnati Open.
After yet another defeat in the early stages of a tournament, tennis fans are largely in agreement about what he needs to do next.
Tennis fans react to Daniil Medvedev’s loss in Cincinnati
Many are now calling for Medvedev to take some time away from the sport, such as one fan, who took to X to say: “Ok, Medvedev needs a break from tennis because this is getting too ridiculous now.”
This fan said: “Medvedev needs a break. Or to fire his coach. Or both. It’s been a disastrous year for him, and I don’t see it getting better anytime soon.”
One user explained: “When you see the level Daniil had on hard courts where he was a wall feared by everyone, he clearly needs a break, he’s completely lost his mental edge, unfortunately.”
Another posted: “Feel sympathy for Daniil Medvedev, looks a shadow of the player he can be.”
Finally, this fan said: “Outside of 3 good events with a Halle Final, Indian Wells Semifinal, and Madrid QF – Daniil Medvedev’s 2025 season has been a disaster.”
The story of Daniil Medvedev’s disappointing 2025 season
In March, Medvedev exited the world’s top ten for the first time since February 2023, after a challenging start to the season.
He had recorded some positive results, including semifinal finishes in Marseille Indian Wells, but following early exits at the Australian Open and the Miami Open, his ranking took a hit.
| Month | Ranking |
|---|---|
| January | 5th |
| February | 7th |
| March | 6th |
| April | 11th |
| May | 11th |
| June | 11th |
| July | 14th |
| August | 15th |
Things didn’t get much better for Medvedev during the clay swing, where he tallied just six wins over three tournaments, before suffering a first-round defeat at Roland Garros.
The 29-year-old made the final at the Halle Open in the grass season, but then lost in his first match at Wimbledon to Benjamin Bonzi.
With more poor results in Washington and Montreal, he is now the world number 15, which is the lowest he has been ranked since 2019.
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