Daniil Medvedev booed off the court after Paris Masters exit, while Novak Djokovic eases through

Carlos Alcaraz, a rising tennis star, suffered a surprising exit from the Paris Masters on Tuesday. Shortly after, world No. 3 Daniil Medvedev also faced a shock defeat in the second round, losing to Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov in a tense three-set match.

In Medvedev’s first match of the tournament, he displayed an incredible level of resilience. The 2021 US Open champion saved six match points before eventually succumbing to defeat. The match took place in front of a volatile crowd that seemed to get under the Russian’s skin on multiple occasions, resulting in an intense atmosphere.

After losing the first set 6-3, Medvedev, in frustration, threw his racket before serving at 5-5 in the second set. The Parisian audience responded with boos, which clearly irked the 27-year-old player.

Medvedev has a history of being seen as the antagonist on court. In this particular match, his response to the crowd’s disapproval was to return to his bench and refuse to play until the booing ceased.

This led to an argument with umpire Renaud Lichtenstein, further aggravating the already tense situation. Medvedev received a code violation for delaying the match and was eventually forced to resume serving.

Reflecting on the incident, Medvedev stated, “When I got the code, I was like: ‘Do I really want to get disqualified and finish the match on this note?’ So I just went on to play,” emphasizing his decision to continue despite the circumstances.

Despite the disruptions and challenges, Medvedev managed to level the match and won the second set tie-break, prolonging the encounter to a decisive final set.

In a thrilling battle, both players fought their way to another tie-break. Dimitrov, currently ranked No. 17 in the world, missed six opportunities to claim victory against Medvedev. Ultimately, on the seventh attempt, the 32-year-old Bulgarian triumphed, clinching the match with a 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 scoreline. He will now advance to the round-of-32 to face Alexander Bublik.

As Medvedev exited the court, he was once again met with jeers from the crowd. It appeared that he raised his middle finger towards the audience, although he later denied this gesture.

To reporters, he clarified, “I just checked my nails, like this. No, really, it’s nothing more than that. Why would I do that to this beautiful crowd in Paris-Bercy?” highlighting the misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, 24-time grand slam singles champion Novak Djokovic had a smooth sailing into the third round, defeating Tomás Martín Etcheverry in straight sets of 6-3, 6-2.

Djokovic, who holds the record for the most Masters 1000 tournament wins, seemed unaffected by his absence from competitive play since September’s Davis Cup. He is now well-positioned to finish the year as the world No. 1.

With the early exits of Medvedev and Alcaraz, Djokovic’s path to claim his 40th Masters title may have become slightly easier.

Stay informed with the latest news and newsletters from CNN. Create an account at CNN.com.