Daniil Medvedev’s long-standing struggles on clay continued as he faced a dramatic five-set defeat at the hands of Cameron Norrie in the first round of the French Open 2025. In a high-octane match that lasted three hours and 53 minutes, Norrie edged out the former world No.1 with a thrilling 7-5 6-3 4-6 1-6 7-5 win on Court Simonne-Mathieu.
This loss extends Medvedev’s disappointing track record on clay surfaces. Known for his dominant performances on hard courts, the 2021 US Open champion once humorously pleaded to be disqualified from the Italian Open, claiming clay was dangerous for everyone—including himself. Despite making gradual improvements on the surface, including a surprise title at the 2023 Rome Masters, Medvedev’s discomfort on clay remains a significant hurdle.
Facing a player he had never dropped a set to in four previous encounters, Medvedev’s loss came as a shock. After falling two sets behind, the Russian fought back valiantly to force a fifth set, even securing a crucial break and serving for the match at 5-4. But Norrie raised his level when it mattered most, breaking back and sealing victory in a tight final set.
“It feels like I’ve earned a diploma beating Medvedev,” Norrie said after the match. “He’s beaten me four times before, and today I had to give everything.”
Medvedev’s powerful flat groundstrokes often prove ineffective on the slow clay surface, which favors topspin and sliding. His towering 6-foot-6 frame, though advantageous on hard courts, struggles with the agility and balance clay demands. He has acknowledged his limitations on the surface, admitting that matches on clay feel more uncertain compared to hard courts where his win rate is significantly higher.
His inability to close the final set mirrored his earlier struggles, as both the first and last sets ended with missed service games. Despite showing glimpses of adaptability by using more topspin and refining his service game midway, Medvedev could not maintain the consistency needed to close out the match.
Medvedev joins a list of tennis greats such as Pete Sampras Venus Williams and John McEnroe who found clay courts challenging. While his 2023 Rome Masters title indicated progress the Paris clay proved too tricky yet again. The loss underscores the unique demands of Roland Garros—where movement tactics and technique must harmonize perfectly on the shifting red dirt.
While Medvedev’s talent and grit are unquestionable his clay court journey remains filled with frustrations and moments of brilliance. Whether he can one day master this surface remains to be seen.
