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DANIIL MEDVEDEV ON HIS DESIRE TO WIN – “I enjoy competition in general and if it’s an online computer game or racing against my friends, when there is competition one-on-one, I always want to beat my opponent. Many times it’s going to be by finding his weak spot.”
Reigning champion Daniil Medvedev started his US Open title defence with victory Monday, cruising past American Stefan Kozlov 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round in New York.
The top seed, who defeated Novak Djokovic to lift his maiden major title in Flushing Meadows last year, quickly found his range on the hard courts. He struck his flat groundstrokes with consistency as he overpowered Kozlov to advance after two hours and one minute in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.
The 26-year-old now holds a standout 21-4 record at the final Grand Slam of the year. The 14-time tour-level champion next plays Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech as he looks to continue his quest to become the first player to win consecutive US Open titles since Roger Federer lifted the trophy for five consecutive years from 2004-08.
“I am pleased to win. Not easy conditions. Pretty hot and humid here,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. “I was sweating a lot but I thought there were some good points. I managed to be pretty solid and I thought the serve was key today. I am happy to go through to the second round.”
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With his No. 1 spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on the line, Medvedev will need a deep run in New York. He is one of five players – Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud - who have the opportunity to finish the US Open as the World No. 1. All but Nadal must reach the championship match to have a chance of leaving New York as World No. 1. More On Key Matches In Battle For No. 1.
Medvedev, who arrived in New York off the back of a semi-final run in Cincinnati, looked in control in the opening match of the tournament on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 26-year-old struck 37 winners and committed 19 unforced errors as he moved through the gears to outmanoeuvre the American, who was making his main draw debut on home soil.
Medvedev is seeking his second major title and second tour-level title of the year this fortnight, having triumphed in Los Cabos earlier this month.
Nadal, Murray, Medvedev Among Stars To Pay Tribute To Serena Williams
Spoiler:
ATP stars reflect on the WTA legend's impact
All eyes are on Serena Williams as she begins her final US Open on Monday night against Danka Kovinic. In the leadup to the season’s final Grand Slam, several stars have paid tribute to the legendary WTA star, including Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Nadal has spoken about Williams several times in recent weeks and has been clear how important she has been within and beyond the tennis world.
“[She is a] huge ambassador that [broke] records. I think as an athlete… [she] has been one of the most important athletes in the history of the sport,” Nadal said. “So from the tennis perspective, it's a big loss that she is leaving. But on the other hand, she deserved all the things that she achieved because she worked enough to make that happen for such a long time, with a lot of determination, dedication, discipline. If not, all of this is impossible.”
Nadal added that he has one wish for when Williams’ career is over.
“I just believe and hope that if she is able to stay around the sport in some way, going to be great for our sport because I always believe that the sports are bigger when the legends of our sport are around the sport,” Nadal said. “And she's a legend. In some way I hope she will continue being involved in the world of tennis.”
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Medvedev recalls picking up a racquet aged six. When he started watching the sport on TV months later. Williams was competing. He was already aware she was “the strong woman in the world in tennis right now”.
“Twenty years later I'm here, already managed have some success in my career, and Serena is still playing, playing her last US Open. It's just legendary,” Medvedev said. “Every time I saw her in person, she just has this legendary energy around her, which I guess is not easy to live with, because that's why everybody is a fan of her. Maybe aparazzi. You come around here, and you're like, 'I'm a fan', something special. She for sure has and will have an amazing legacy in tennis.
“I’m sure in hundred years we're still going to talk about Serena Williams.”
Former World No. 1 Murray played mixed doubles with Williams at Wimbledon in 2019. “I was nervous playing with her,” Murray recalled, adding that she made “a few funny comments” that made it a “really nice” experience for him.
“Her achievements in the sport, obviously incredible. She will go down as one of the best tennis players to have ever played, if not ‘the’ best on the women's side,” Murray said. “I think also what her and Venus have done is, when you combine the two, is even more remarkable, really, and probably unlikely we will see something like that again from two sisters.”
Williams has also received a wild card into the women’s doubles draw alongside sister Venus Williams.
“I think it's really cool that they are playing doubles together. I think that will be really nice,” Murray said. “She's obviously had a massive impact on the sport.”
Tsitsipas, like Medvedev, was a kid when Williams was already dominating the sport. The Greek explained that he has been inspired by her.
“What she has been able to do on the tennis court and outside the tennis court has brought the game of tennis so high and has made it so important as a sport,” Tsitsipas said. “So I give a lot of credit to her because she deserves a lot of credit for what she has done in this sport. She's a phenomenon.”
Daniil Medvedev is the defending US Open champion and the World No. 1. Yet quietly, the 26-year-old is marching through the draw.
The top seed ousted Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 to reach the third round at Flushing Meadows for the fifth consecutive year. He has now won 20 of his past 22 matches at the year’s final major.
“In general I'm happy with my level in the third set, so that's great. At the end of the match it was getting better and better,” Medvedev said. “At the same time a win is the most important, three sets. Try to get out as early as possible even if it is pretty late. Looking forward for [the] next round.”
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Medvedev will next play China’s Wu Yibing, with the prospect of a fourth-round blockbuster against Australian Nick Kyrgios if they both win their next match.
The World No. 1 consistently threatened Rinderknech’s serve, converting five of the 17 break points he earned. Medvedev also saved all three break points he faced to advance after two hours and 11 minutes.
“The most important is to win, to stay in the tournament, to try to get as far as possible, for sure try to raise your level when the opponents go stronger and stronger,” Medvedev said. “Finally you're going to play somebody who has a Grand Slam or something like this.”
Medvedev's next opponent, Wu, defeated Portugal's Nuno Borges 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after three hours and 46 minutes. The 22-year-old became the first male singles player from China to reach the third round of the US Open in tournament history (since 1881) and the first male singles player from China to advance to the third round at a major since Kho Sin-Khie at Wimbledon in 1946.