Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev stated he was “not panicking” despite a surprising first-round defeat at Wimbledon, which extends his challenging Grand Slam performance this year.
The Russian ninth seed was defeated by France’s Benjamin Bonzi, world number 64, in a three-hour, seven-minute match on Court Two, with a score of 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, played in sweltering conditions.
This marks the first time in seven Wimbledon appearances that Medvedev has failed to progress past the opening round.
Medvedev, a six-time Grand Slam finalist and 2021 US Open champion, had reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in both 2023 and 2024. However, his 2025 Grand Slam season has been disappointing, with early exits in the Australian Open (second round) and French Open (first round) before his Wimbledon loss.
Despite smashing his racket in frustration after the defeat, the 29-year-old remained optimistic. He stated he would be “very worried” if he hadn’t reached the final at the recent Halle grass-court event, where he lost to Alexander Bublik.
Medvedev emphasised that his preparation for Wimbledon was strong, having won every practice set. He believes his current form is a “matter of confidence” and that once he starts winning close matches, his ranking will improve.
“For the moment, I’m not that worried. If I finish the year somewhere around 15th in the world, maybe I will be more worried. For the moment, I am not,” he concluded.
