Daniil Medvedev just had another one of those moments that’ll have tennis fans talking for weeks.
The Russian star lost to defending champion Alexei Popyrin at the 2025 Canadian Open in Toronto, falling 7-5, 4-6, 4-6. But it’s what happened after the match that’s got everyone’s attention.
Instead of doing the usual handshake-grab-your-bag-and-walk-off routine, Medvedev did something pretty shocking. He shook Popyrin’s hand like a good sport, then just… left.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniil Medvedev | 29 | 6,485 | 27 - 8 |
His bag stayed right there on the court.
An Exit Like No Other
The commentators couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Even by Medvedev’s standards – and let’s be honest, he’s done some pretty wild stuff over the years – this was unprecedented.
Popyrin looked confused at first, then just smiled. You’ve got to appreciate the Australian’s sense of humor about the whole thing.
A ball boy ended up collecting Medvedev’s gear and presumably got it back to him in the locker room. Just another day at the office for the tournament staff, apparently.
The 2021 US Open champion had a real shot at ending his title drought in Toronto. With Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic all pulling out of the tournament, the draw looked wide open for someone like Medvedev.
But it wasn’t meant to be. He blew 9 out of 11 break point chances against Popyrin’s serve, which pretty much tells the story of how the match slipped away.
Already Part of Tennis Folklore
This bag incident is just the latest chapter in Medvedev’s growing collection of memorable moments on court.
Remember the 2024 ATP Finals? He spent part of a match throwing his racket in the air and pretending to catch it before letting it crash to the ground. It was like he was daring the umpire to do something about it.
In that same match, he actually returned serve with his racket turned backwards. The crowd in Turin didn’t know whether to laugh or boo.
Then there’s his legendary rant at Indian Wells in 2023. He called the slow court a "freaking disgrace to the sport" during his match against Alexander Zverev.
He threatened to take as long as he wanted during bathroom breaks because he was so frustrated with the court conditions. The funny thing? He actually won that match 6-7, 7-6, 7-5.
The Struggles Are Real
It’s been a tough run for the 29-year-old since that brutal Australian Open final loss to Sinner in 2024.
Medvedev hasn’t won a tournament since the 2023 Italian Open – that’s over two years without a title for a guy who’s reached six Grand Slam finals.
Losing that Australian Open final after being up two sets had to sting. Especially since the exact same thing happened to him against Rafael Nadal two years earlier in Melbourne.
Those kinds of losses mess with your head. When you add in how incredibly well Sinner and Alcaraz have been playing since early 2024, it’s easy to see why Medvedev’s struggling to break through.
The hard courts in Toronto should’ve been perfect for him. But tennis doesn’t always work out the way it should on paper.
He’s sticking with his long-time coach Gilles Cervara, hoping they can figure things out together. Sometimes that’s all you can do – trust the process and keep grinding.
Whether fans love him or find him annoying, there’s no denying Medvedev brings something unique to tennis. And based on today’s exit strategy, he’s clearly not done surprising us.
