Medvedev Battles Past Bublik In Tokyo Opener
Daniil Medvedev had to work hard on Saturday, but he advanced to the second round of the Tokyo Olympics with a 6-4, 7-6(8) victory against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.
The second seed saved three of the four break points he faced to triumph after one hour and 38 minutes. The ROC’s Medvedev now leads the pair’s ATP Head2Head series 3-0, and he has won all seven of their sets.
The World No. 2 will next play Indian Sumit Nagal, who outlasted Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4. This is Medvedev’s first appearance in the Olympics.
Big-hitting German Jan-Lennard Struff advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro, and he could next face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The Serbian superstar will need to defeat Bolivian Hugo Dellien to set that clash.
Also in that section of the draw, 16th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina ousted Portugal’s Pedro Sousa 6-3, 6-0. The Spaniard will try to maintain his level against Aussie John Millman, who eliminated #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-4.