Daniil Medvedev stormed off the court at the Canadian Open in Toronto without collecting his bag after losing to defending champion Alexei Popyrin. The Russian won the first set, but Popyrin made a solid comeback to keep his campaign alive.
On Thursday, July 31, two former Canadian Open champions took to the Center Court in Toronto to battle it out for a spot in the fourth round of the 2025 edition. Medvedev, the 2021 champion, started strong by winning the first set 7-5. However, the 2024 champion, Popyrin, adjusted his game to bag the next two sets 6-4, 6-4, and advance.
After the match, Medvedev stormed off the court in frustration, leaving his bag behind. Typically, both players pack up their gear before exiting, but the Russian seemed too upset to care, forgetting his bag as he rushed straight to the locker room.
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Daniil Medvedev's 2025 has been topsy-turvy with a win-loss record of 25-15. He has faced multiple early exits, including a first-round loss at Wimbledon. He reached only one final this season but could not convert it into a title.
The 29-year-old began the year at World No. 5 but has dropped to World No. 14. Frustration in his game is clearly visible in multiple outbursts this season.
Meanwhile, Popyrin is facing no better circumstances. He holds a 12-16 record this season and has not been able to notch four consecutive wins in 2025. As the defending champion in Toronto, the 18th-seeded Aussie has earned wins over Nicolas Arseneault and Medvedev on his way to the fourth round.
Alexei Popyrin reflects on his comeback victory over Daniil Medvedev at the Canadian Open
Reflecting on his tense victory over Daniil Medvedev, Alexei Popyrin acknowledged that he briefly lost control of the match despite a strong start.
"I felt like I should have won that first set," he said (via ATPTour.com). "I was in the driver's seat, I felt like I was really comfortable out there, and then something happened - the same thing that happened earlier this season when I played him [in Rome]. I kind of let go and I started feeling my shots a little bit. When that happens, when you play a fast pace against him, he starts feeling the ball a little bit more."
Popyrin explained that once Medvedev began settling into the rhythm, he had to shift back to his original game plan. He focused on serving big, attacking the net, and breaking the Russian’s rhythm.
Up next for the Aussie is a tense clash against fifth seed Holger Rune. This will be their second encounter on tour with Rune winning their first 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in Rome in 2023.
