LOS ANGELES: US Open champion Daniil Medvedev made a smooth return to ATP action Saturday, downing American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round at Indian Wells.
The second-ranked Russian — the top men’s seed in the combined WTA and ATP Masters hard court tournament — played his first ATP match since capturing his maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows — where he denied Novak Djokovic a rare calendar Grand Slam sweep.
Since then, Medvedev helped Team Europe beat Team World at the Laver Cup, and kept things rolling with a convincing win over 57th-ranked McDonald.
Medvedev didn’t face a break point, and converted three of his seven break chances against the American to wrap things up in 72 minutes.
“I’m actually really pleased, because usually I haven’t played well in Indian Wells and I haven’t been playing that well in practices before (the tournament),” said Medvedev, who was 3-3 in prior appearances in the California desert.
“Mackenzie is a really strong opponent, he can put pressure on everybody,” he added. “I’m happy to be through quite fast.”
Medvedev booked a third-round meeting with Serbian Filip Krajinovic, who pulled off a 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 winner over American Marcos Giron.
Russian fourth seed Andrey Rublev also advanced, beating Spain’s Carlos Taberner 6-3, 6-4.
Women’s top seed Karolina Pliskova eased into the third round as fifth-seeded Garbine Muguruza was toppled by Ajla Tomljanovic.
Pliskova, ranked third in the world, needed 80 minutes to get past 23-year-old Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-2.
Pliskova fired six aces to take her WTA-leading tally to 387 for the season, converting five of six break chances against Frech.
It was the 106th-ranked Frech who grabbed the first break of the match, taking a 4-3 lead in the opening set.
But Pliskova promptly broke back, and leading 6-5, the Czech gave herself a set point with a backhand winner before Frech fired into the net.
Pliskova powered to a 5-1 lead in the second set and, after dropping her serve while serving for the match, broke Frech for the fifth time to claim the win.
Spain’s Muguruza, meanwhile, was bundled out 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 by Australia’s Tomljanovic, who reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon earlier this year.
Muguruza appeared to have turned things around when she pocketed the second set to level the match — aided by a rise in errors from the Aussie.
But Tomljanovic regrouped, breaking Muguruza in the opening game of the third.
Muguruza pulled the break back to knot the set at 3-3, only to drop her serve again, and Tomljanovic finished it off with a final service break.
Bianca Andreescu launched her defense of the title she won in 2019 — the most recent edition of the tournament — with a hard-fought 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-2 victory over American Alison Riske.
“It felt great being back here,” Andreescu told the crowd of returning to the site of her breakthrough WTA win, which launched her on a stellar 2019 season that included a US Open victory.
“I felt all the emotions of being on this court again,” added the Canadian, who has battled injuries since her breakout campaign.
In other women’s matches, French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, the third seed, beat Kazakh qualifier Zarina Diyas 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
US Open champion Daniil Medvedev cruises into third round at Indian Wells
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US Open champion Daniil Medvedev cruises into third round at Indian Wells
- Medvedev books a third-round meeting with Serbian Filip Krajinovic
- Women’s top seed Karolina Pliskova also eases into the third round
Filipino fans celebrate as favorites advance at Dubai Tennis Championships
- WTA 1000 event off to dramatic start as Kabayan community-loved duo Alexandra Eala and Leylah Fernandez thrill center court with contrasting victories
- Britain’s top-ranked female player Emma Raducanu takes on Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto in Monday’s action, with tickets still available
DUBAI: After weeks of anticipation, women’s week at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship burst into life on the opening day as two favorites of the Filipino expatriate community progressed to the second round in front of capacity crowds.
Rising star Alexandra Eala — still only 20 and already the highest-ranked Filipino in WTA history at world No. 40 — lined up against powerful American Hailey Baptiste, the world No. 39.
Baptiste, having qualified for the match as a lucky loser after falling to Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in Saturday’s final qualifiers, she nonetheless cut an imposing figure compared to the diminutive Eala, who is four years her junior and making her Dubai debut.
Yet with every corner of center court transformed by the red, white and blue of the Philippines flag, Eala immediately tapped into the energy with an array of crowd-pleasing winners as she railed against Baptiste’s power advantage.
After trading breaks early on, Eala buzzed around court and stole the momentum with a break of serve before nervelessly holding to seal the set 6-4.
Baptiste valiantly held serve in the opening game of the second set before Elea suddenly found herself advancing to the next round after the American retired with an abdominal injury.
An expectant crowd was stunned and fell silent, but noise levels soared back to deafening as the victor addressed center court. “No-one likes advancing in this way,” she said.
“Being on tour, I am starting to discover how difficult it is to maintain your health physically. I’m really hoping that Hailey will bounce back soon.”
Turning her attention and affections to her adoring fans, Eala added: “I’m super happy to be in the next round.
“This tournament is serving up such great experiences for me, especially playing in front of the best crowd ever. Hello everyone, hello Kabayans. I’m very happy to advance to the next round.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, the world No. 27, and Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, ranked 10 places higher, played out an epic three-set showdown that lasted close to three hours.
After a tense first set in which Samsonova eventually prevailed 7-5, Fernandez — who boasts Filipino heritage — battled back in a knife-edge second set.
The 23-year-old unleashed a series of immaculate winners to sail into a 5-2 lead, before a resurgent Samsonova won three consecutive games to wrestle back momentum and level the set at 5-5.
The Russian’s mini comeback flattered to deceive however, as Fernandez held her serve and then immediately broke serve to clinch the set 7-5 and force a deciding set.
With Fernandez moving into a 2-0 lead in the early throes of the third set, Samsonova suddenly found herself holding two break points and a chance to regain her match footing.
Fernandez, buoyed by a partisan crowd that reveled in celebrating her Filipino ancestry, dug deep. Occasionally scurrying and battling to stay in points, she produced winners under pressure and benefited hugely as Samsonova’s unforced errors tallied up.
Brimming with confidence, Fernandez surged into a seemingly unassailable 5-0 lead in the third set, only for the never-say-die Samsonova to hit back with three quick games in a row.
Serving for the match for a second time, Fernandez regained her composure to hold serve and eliminate the 13th seed.
After signing dozens of autographs on caps, T-shirts, balls, souvenir programs, and anything frenzied fans could find for a signature, Fernandez was quick to acknowledge the acclaim she received from fans at the tournament.
“It definitely felt different tonight,” she said.
“I remember the past couple of years I’ve played day matches, sometimes first on, so there wasn’t a lot of fans. Today, there were a lot more and to see so many fans come watch women’s tennis means a lot, it shows the sport is growing, so I’m very happy.”
When asked if she feels a type of home advantage in Dubai, she added: “Yeah, actually, kind of. It does feel nice because you kind of feel at home. It helps a lot.
“Sometimes when you’re travelling so much you forget why you play tennis and fans always help you to remember. To feel that warmth, that love, and the passion that they have is a lot of fun.”
The final match of the night had the Czech Republic’s Sara Bejlek, ranked No. 38 in the world, needing only 75 minutes for a 6-2, 6-2 dismantling of Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu, another massive Dubai favorite, will face a first-round tie against Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto on court two at 3 p.m.
