Daniil Medvedev’s first-round match against Ugo Humbert at the 2026 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam caught the tennis world’s attention after a tense mid-match incident that led to a stoppage in play. This marked the Russian’s first match since the disappointing loss at the 2026 Australian Open and was involved in a heated exchange with the tournament supervisor after losing the opening set.
Daniil Medvedev Blames ATP Tournament Supervisor for Not Using Round Balls
World No. 11 Medvedev faced world No. 36 Humbert in the Round of 32 match at the ATP 500 tournament on Feb. 9, 2026, at the Rotterdam Ahoy. Both players started dominantly, holding their serves till the end, thus forcing a tiebreak, which the Frenchman claimed 7-6(4).
After losing the first set, Medvedev called for a supervisor during the changeover and engaged in a lengthy debate about the quality of the tournament’s tennis balls. The Russian questioned whether the HEAD balls were round, telling the supervisor,
“HEAD balls. Are they round? Are you sure? I think maybe we should consider not playing with HEAD balls.” Adding to his point, he said, “HEAD balls are not round. So we should not be playing with it. No one should be buying them. We should not be promoting a tennis ball that is not round.”
Daniil Medvedev complaining about the HEAD balls to the supervisor during his match against Humbert in Rotterdam
“HEAD balls. Are they round? Are you sure? I think maybe we should consider not playing with HEAD balls.”
“HEAD balls are not round. So we should not be playing with… pic.twitter.com/R0dGRy4HsW
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 9, 2026
In this debate, Medvedev not only questioned his match but also the entire tournament and the organization, suggesting that the balls failed to meet the quality standards required for tour-level play.
This was not the first time Medvedev had an issue with the tennis balls; he previously called over a supervisor mid-match at the 2024 Shanghai Open to complain about Wilson balls. He claimed the balls were difficult to control even during warm-up before the actual match, making it hard to play with them.
The timing of this Rotterdam complaint, coming right after he lost the first set in a tie-break, added another layer to the incident, bringing Medvedev into the spotlight once again.
A Strong Start to the 2026 Season for Medvedev
Medvedev entered the tournament following a strong start to the 2026 season, including winning the Brisbane International title in January. He defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6(1) in the final to capture his 22nd ATP title, becoming the first player to win each title at a different tournament, a feat very rare in professional tennis.
However, that momentum was halted when Learner Tien defeated Medvedev 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in the fourth round at the Australian Open on Jan. 25, ending the Russian’s 8-match win streak. The loss was particularly heartbreaking for him, as Tien bageled the world No. 11 in the second set, marking the first time he had ever lost a set 6-0 in Grand Slam history.
Rotterdam holds special significance for Medvedev, as he won the event in 2023, beating Jannik Sinner in the final 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to lift the trophy. His return to the tournament in 2026 carried significant expectations, but he could not overcome the first-round challenge from Humbert, losing 6-7(4), 6-3, 3-6, thus ending his campaign.
