Medvedev powers through to set up Dimitrov clash at Indian Wells

Bengaluru — US Open champion Daniil Medvedev reached the fourth round at Indian Wells with a 6-2 7-6(1) victory over Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic on Monday and said he was pleased to reach 50 wins this season.

The top-seeded Russian took to the court after a long rain delay and wasted no time in showing the kind of form that earned him a maiden Grand Slam title in September, going 4-0 up before taking the opening set.

Krajinovic fought back in the second set to lead 4-2 before Medvedev found his groove to force a tiebreak, which he dominated to claim the win.

“I feel like I’m trying to play a little bit less ... just playing the biggest tournaments, or the ones that will get me back into shape,” Medvedev said.

“So I’m really happy that I managed to get 50 [wins]. It means I was doing pretty good in a lot of them.

“Filip is a really tough opponent. He’s always playing top tennis, tough matches, especially that second set. There were a lot of ups and downs, but a great level from both.”

Up next for world No 2 Medvedev is Grigor Dimitrov, who beat American Reilly Opelka 6-3 6-4 earlier in the day.

Medvedev’s compatriot Andrey Rublev lost 6-4 3-6 7-5 to American Tommy Paul.

In other third-round matches Diego Schwartzman sent Briton Dan Evans packing 5-7 6-4 6-0 and 10th seed Angelique Kerber held on to defeat Daria Kasatkina 6-2 1-6 6-4.

Evans, who reached the fourth round of the US, fought back from 5-2 down to win the first set and maintained the momentum to break the Argentinian 11th seed’s serve in the opening game of the second.

But Schwartzman roared back to convert four of six break points in the second set to level the match. Evans never regained his footing as Schwartzman dropped just two first-serve points in the third set.

Kerber came out on top in a see-saw contest where she dropped the second set after winning just 11 of 28 first serve points. The German fended off double break point to close out the match.

Reuters