Daniil Medvdev explains his Doha retirement… read more
Daniil Medvedev, the world’s sixth-ranked tennis player, had been performing well in Doha, especially when compared to his previous tournaments. However, his campaign came to an abrupt end in the quarter-finals when he was forced to retire against Felix Auger-Aliassime after losing the first set.
Auger-Aliassime took the opener 6-3, breaking Medvedev’s serve twice. The Russian player’s retirement was unexpected, and he didn’t even shake hands with his opponent or the chair umpire before leaving the court. Medvedev later revealed that he had been suffering from food poisoning, which had left him feeling unwell and unable to continue playing.
Auger-Aliassime was surprised by Medvedev’s retirement, as he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary during the match. Medvedev had been keeping pace with Auger-Aliassime in the early stages of the set, but he began to struggle after losing two consecutive games. Auger-Aliassime, on the other hand, was serving well and had dropped only four points in his four service games.
Medvedev had started the match strongly, winning the opening game with a service winner. However, Auger-Aliassime had quickly leveled the score with an ace in the second game. Medvedev had then taken the lead again, but Auger-Aliassime had fought back to break his serve and take a 5-3 lead. Medvedev had lost steam in the final game of the set, struggling to return Auger-Aliassime’s serves and eventually losing the set 6-3.
After his retirement, Medvedev expressed his disappointment at having to end his campaign in Doha due to illness. “Unfortunately, I had food poisoning,” he said. “I’m very disappointed to end my run here in Doha like this, as I feel like I was playing well. I look forward to coming back next year.”
Medvedev’s retirement was a surprise to many, given his strong performance in the tournament up until that point. However, it’s clear that his illness had taken a significant toll on his physical condition, making it impossible for him to continue playing. Despite his disappointment, Medvedev is already looking forward to returning to Doha next year and competing at a higher level.
