Medvedev Leads Four #NextGenATP Into Den Bosch R2

Four #NextGenATP players found their feet early on the grass at the Ricoh Open as they surged into the second round on Tuesday in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Qualifier Daniil Medvedev edged sixth seed and home favourite Robin Haase 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and 18 minutes, saving 12 of the 13 break points he faced.

The 21-year-old Russian, who reached his first ATP World Tour final in Chennai at the start of the year (l. to Bautista Agut), claimed just the second tour-level grass-court win of his career.

Medvedev, who uses a Tecnifibre racquet, set a clash with fellow Next Gen ATP Finals hopeful Thanasi Kokkinakis. The Australian, who is working his way back from a lengthy injury layoff, was a 6-4, 7-5 winner over Mikhail Youzhny. The 21-year-old Kokkinakis struck 16 aces as he claimed the first win of his comeback, following first-round exits in Lyon (l. to Istomin) and Roland Garros (l. to Nishikori).

“It was very tough [to close it out],” said Kokkinakis. “I didn’t get off to a great start, but then came back and played pretty well. I was up 6-2, 4-2 and serving really well, but I knew it was going to be tough to keep serving that well the whole match. He really started playing a lot better at the back end of the second set. I got a bit tighter for sure. I hadn’t served out a match in a long time. It was good to get those nerves out the way.

“It feels great to be competing again, there’s only so long you can practise for. It’s so frustrating being on the practice court for ages. Physically I’m not 100 per cent, still got some things I need to sort out with my body. I’m trying to manage it while I’m playing. That’s the tough part. I’m trying to get the matches in and that workload into my body.”

Like Medvedev, Ernesto Escobedo earned the second grass-court win of his career as he defeated lucky loser Jason Jung 6-4, 6-2 in 64 minutes. The 20-year-old American, a semi-finalist in Houston in April (l. to Bellucci), goes on to face Aljaz Bedene.

Watch: Escobedo At Home Uncovered

Wild card Stefan Kozlov completed a perfect start for #NextGenATP players as he battled past Dustin Brown 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in 89 minutes. The 19-year-old American claimed his first tour-level win of the season as he set a second-round clash with third seed Ivo Karlovic, a winner of three grass-court titles.

World No. 81 Alexandr Dolgopolov upset fifth seed Steve Darcis as he reached the second round with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win in 88 minutes, hitting 10 aces. Making his debut at this ATP World Tour 250 tournament, the Ukrainian next faces Vasek Pospisil.

“I think I played well,” said Dolgopolov. “I had all the chances in the first set and broke him twice. It was quite comfortable in the second set. I think he played better and I was returning a little worse. Happy to finish in two sets.

“I’ve been playing better [on grass] in the past few years. I’ve made the third round at Wimbledon a couple of times, lost five-setters to [Grigor] Dimitrov and [David] Ferrer. My first few years on tour it was tough, I didn’t like it, I was falling all the time and couldn’t understand the footwork. Even though my game suits the grass, I wasn’t happy with the surface, but now I’m enjoying it much more.”

Second seed Alexander Zverev will open his campaign against Adrian Mannarino after the Frenchman dismissed Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-1. Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, who uses a Tecnifibre racquet, also advanced, beating Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-0.

DOUBLES

Third seeds and 2015 Wimbledon champions Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau prevailed past Frenchmen Jonathan Eysseric and Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 7-6(6). Aussies John Peers and Thompson dismissed #NextGenATP players Zverev and Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-3.

Fourth seeds Fabrice Martin of France and Daniel Nestor of Canada survived a tight battle with Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop, moving into the quarter-finals 6-1, 6-7(10), 11-9.