Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

French Open: Daniil Medvedev beats Miomir Kecmanovic to continue fine form

Written by 
Published in Tennis
Saturday, 28 May 2022 14:01

Daniil Medvedev continued his impressive form as he picked apart Miomir Kecmanovic to reach the fourth round of the French Open without dropping set.

The second seed was relentless and inventive throughout a 6-2 6-4 6-2 win over the Serb 28th seed.

He found 42 winners on Court Suzanne Lenglen, including a forehand pass while on the move on match point.

Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas thrashed Mikael Ymer 6-2 6-2 6-1 in 92 minutes.

Medvedev eyes return to the top spot

Medvedev is targeting a return to the world number one spot, after his previous time at the top ended after just two weeks earlier in 2022.

Following his comfortable win over Kecmanovic, the Russian revealed he had Googled the shortest reigns in the men's game and was surprised by the results.

"The first I saw was Pat Rafter being there for one week, and he's an absolute legend, and Carlos Moya was somewhere there," said Medvedev, 26.

"I didn't know these stats, and if somebody asked me how long were Rafter and Moya number one, I'd say, 'I don't know, six months, one year?'

"So it's something nobody can take away from me. Not that many players could take it while they play tennis. It's a great motivation to try to come back there."

Medvedev's quest to return to the top of the world rankings could be hampered by the fact Russian players have been banned from UK grass-court tournaments, including Wimbledon, because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, the ATP's decision to strip ranking points from Wimbledon because of the ban could in fact result in Medvedev regaining the top ranking because Serbia's Novak Djokovic will be unable to retain the 2,000 ranking points he earned by winning the Wimbledon title last year and so he could be overtaken by the Russian.

"We won't know how this Wimbledon thing [will affect it], but I want to try to make the best results possible, starting from here," said Medvedev, who could meet 2021 runner-up Tsitsipas at the semi-final stage at Roland Garros.

Medvedev's best run at Roland Garros was a quarter-final last year but he looks more at ease on clay - his least favourite surface - than ever before.

"Medvedev is world number two and he is playing like that sort of ranking," said 5 Live Sports Extra commentator David Law.

"He would still be behind others in the pecking order of favourites - Djokovic, Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz - but he doesn't have to worry about them until the final.

"He might be the man who goes all the way to the final."

Medvedev had arrived at the French Open with only one match on clay under his belt after having a procedure to treat a hernia in April.

Here - against a highly capable opponent in Kecmanovic - he landed two breaks in the opening set and one in the second to open up a cushion.

By the third set he was finding drop shots and eye-catching angles, none more so than when he whipped a low forehand crosscourt at 1-1 as he set up a comfortable win.

Simon says goodbye and Tsitsipas eases through

Medvedev's opponent in the fourth round will be Marin Cilic, after the Croat defeated France's Gilles Simon in straight sets.

Cilic, seeded 20th, won 6-0 6-3 6-2 to knock out 37-year-old Simon, playing in his final French Open as a wildcard following his announcementexternal-link that he will retire in 2022.

Tsitsipas had few problems dealing with the world number 95 Ymer, who had beaten Britain's Dan Evans in the second round.

The 23-year-old Greek player's only moment of concern was when he was a break point down at 3-0 up in the third set, but the Swede failed to take advantage and Tsitsipas quickly wrapped up the match.

He will face unseeded Holger Rune of Denmark, who qualified for the fourth round of the French Open at the first attempt when he beat France's Hugo Gaston 6-3 6-3 6-3.

In the bottom half of the draw, seventh seed Andrey Rublev beat Cristian Garin 6-4 3-6 6-2 7-6 (13-11).

The 24-year-old Russian has not gone past the quarter-final stage of a Grand Slam in his career to date.

He will get the chance to reach the last eight when he plays Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner - who beat American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 6-3.

Norway's number eight seed Casper Ruud fought back from two-sets-to-one down to beat Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 1-6 6-4 6-3 in an entertaining match that lasted just short of three-and-a-half hours.

Ruud will be in the fourth round at Roland-Garros for the first time, and will play Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, who beat David Goffin of Belgium 7-5 6-2 6-1.

Read 219 times

Soccer

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Barbra Banda's goal stood up as the winner to l...

Ipswich vs Man United: VAR stopped by fire alarm

Ipswich vs Man United: VAR stopped by fire alarm

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsVAR was temporarily suspended during Manchester United's clash at I...

Amorim era begins with fastest Utd goal of season

Amorim era begins with fastest Utd goal of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRúben Amorim was made to wait just 81 seconds for the first goal of...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsScotty Pippen Jr. already had plenty of fond memories of watching h...

Ball's career-best 50 not enough as Hornets fall

Ball's career-best 50 not enough as Hornets fall

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLaMelo Ball became the third-youngest player in NBA history, and th...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated