“Maybe I should start a career in pickleball” – Medvedev jokes after Damm becomes his fourth loss in five matches

American wildcard Martin Damm beat Russian Daniil Medvedev, the top seed, 7-5, 6-3 to reach the last 16 of the Winston-Salem Open on Tuesday night.

The defeat extended a rough stretch for Medvedev, who has now lost four of his last five matches. He was beaten by Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff at Wimbledon, 6-7, 6-7, 5-7, letting a lead slip in all three sets.

He then fell to the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in Montreal, 3-6, 6-7. Medvedev did beat Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti in the Cincinnati first round, 6-4, 7-5, but was eliminated the following round by American Brandon Nakashima, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6.

Medvedev made light of the slump on a changeover during the loss to Damm. “Maybe I should start a career in pickleball – not too late, with Jack Sock, doubles,” he said. “Every sport on the planet is better, even curling right now.”

Damm, ranked No. 94, will next play No. 15 seed Fabian Marozsan.