Medvedev Cruises Into Marseille Quarterfinals as Upsets Shake ATP Tour
Daniil Medvedev, the top seed and world No. 3, made a winning start to his campaign at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, France, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Thursday.
Playing his first match of the tournament after receiving a bye in the opening round, Medvedev looked sharp, dominating on serve and controlling the baseline exchanges. He won 39 of 49 service points, including an impressive 26 of 29 on his first serve (nearly 90%), while fending off the only break point he faced.
Medvedev’s consistency and precision proved too much for Herbert, who struggled to create any real pressure on the Russian’s serve. The match lasted just 78 minutes, with Medvedev’s signature backhand and ability to redirect pace standing out in the straight-sets win.
Next Up: Medvedev vs. Struff
Medvedev’s next challenge will be Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who outlasted French qualifier Hugo Grenier 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in a physical, two-and-a-half-hour battle. Struff, known for his big serve and aggressive net play, will look to test Medvedev’s defensive prowess in what promises to be an intriguing quarterfinal clash.
Upsets Rock Marseille Draw
While Medvedev advanced smoothly, the same could not be said for two other top seeds.
- No. 4 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland was stunned by China’s Zhizhen Zhang, who produced a powerful performance to win 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-3.
- Belgium’s Zizou Bergs also caused an upset, defeating No. 8 seed Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2. Bergs’ serve was the difference, firing 13 aces and saving both break points he faced.
Farewell to Schwartzman in Buenos Aires
Meanwhile, in Argentina, Diego Schwartzman bid an emotional farewell to professional tennis, playing his final match at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. The 32-year-old former World No. 8 lost to Spain’s Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-2 in front of his home crowd, bringing his illustrious career to an end.
Schwartzman, who had upset seventh-seed Nicolas Jarry in the previous round, fought hard to extend his farewell run, but Martinez’s consistent baseline game proved too strong.
Other ATP Action – Delray Beach Open
In Florida, No. 6 seed Brandon Nakashima rallied to defeat fellow American Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Delray Beach Open. Nakashima’s serve improved as the match progressed, and he dominated the final set, winning 16 of 17 service points.
With Taylor Fritz, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Matteo Arnaldi still to play their Round of 16 matches, the tournament remains wide open as players chase the ATP 250 title.
