Australian Open: Medvedev survives difficult first-round test

The Russian will face Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in the next round

Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 16, 2023 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev reacts during his first round match against Marcos Giron of the U.S. (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)

Tennis Majors

January 15, 2024

Australian Open •First round • completed

See draw

T. AtmanevsD. Medvedev

Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No 3 seed, reached the second round of the Australian Open when French qualifier Terence Atmane retired at Melbourne Park on Monday.

Medvedev, ranked No 3, led 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0 when Atmane, ranked No 144, was forced to retire.

That means the two-time Australian Open finalist escapes his first match of the season, even after surprisingly dropping the opening set. Medvedev, who fell in the third round to Sebastian Korda in 2023 at the Australian, will face Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland in the second round.

It wasn’t a simple contest. Medvedev served for the opening set at 5-4 but was made to pay for an erratic service game – three games later, in rising heat, he found himself down by a set.

Medevedev took the power back in the second set, but the third was close, as Atmane rallied from a break down to level at 2-all.

But Medvedev’s variety and keen court awareness, coupled with his willingness to use the drop shot to make his opponent run, eventually paid dividends, and caused Atmane to struggle physically.

“He’s not used to Grand Slams also yet, so a lot of nerves,” Medvedev said after the match. “The heat is there. So physically it’s not easy I think. Every match I saw was looking some guys are better, some guys are worse, but it’s tough for everyone.

“So I’m happy that I managed to be stronger physically because it was not easy at one moment. At this moment he started cramping. I was, like, okay, it’s not easy for him also. Just have to stay in there and happy to go through.”

The Russian improves to 22-7 lifetime in Melbourne with his win.

I feel, for whatever reason, I don’t know the reason, a little worse in these conditions Australian Open than some other tournaments.

Medvedev is a two-time runner-up at the Australian Open but admitted that he does not feel as comfortable at the first Grand Slam of the season as compared to the US Open.

“I feel, for whatever reason, I don’t know the reason, a little worse in these conditions Australian Open than some other tournaments. At the same time, I was two times in the final, and one I was really close to winning. So I really hope I can show my best tennis one time here, at least one, and win it,” the Russian said. “What else I can say? It’s the first tournament of the year. Even if you have, like, warm-up tournament, it’s still kind of beginning of the year, so the sensations are different. Whereas I feel like at US Open, I feel like many times I peak because you’re still not yet exhausted of the season, and it’s like for me the best moment where you had a lot of matches coming in, Toronto, Cincinnati. Have one week of practice, and you go for it.”

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other first-round matches (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 58,910,000):