NEW DELHI: Defending champion Daniil Medvedev's campaign at the Rome Open came to an abrupt end in the last-16 stage on Tuesday, as he was defeated in straight sets by Tommy Paul, with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4.
The world number four, Medvedev, failed to find his rhythm and was outplayed by American Paul, who secured his first-ever victory against the former US Open champion.
Tommy Paul's next opponent in the quarter-finals will be Hubert Hurkacz, who caused a major upset by eliminating Rafael Nadal earlier in the tournament.
Medvedev's exit comes amidst a series of surprising defeats suffered by top-ranked players in Rome.
With Novak Djokovic's early departure on Sunday and the withdrawals of Italian world number two Jannik Sinner and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz due to injuries, the field was wide open for contenders.
Despite the absence of several top players, the competition remained intense. World number five Alexander Zverev, the 2017 Rome champion, advanced to the quarter-finals after defeating unseeded Nuno Borges. He is set to face Taylor Fritz in the next round.
In another highly anticipated match, reigning Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas is scheduled to take on Australia's Alex de Minaur on the center court later in the day.
(With AFP inputs)
