Medvedev downs Tommy Paul to ease into China Open second round

He will play Alex De Minaur in the second round after the Australian edged out Britain’s Andy Murray in a third-set tie-break on Thursday.

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in action against USA’s Tommy Paul in the men’s singles match during the China Open. | Photo Credit: AFP

World number three Daniil Medvedev cruised into the second round of the China Open with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Tommy Paul on Friday.

The Russian broke serve in the fourth game and secured the opening set when Paul lofted a forehand long.

Medvedev then peppered the American with a barrage of powerful serves and forehands to close out the match with ease.

He will play Alex De Minaur in the second round after the Australian edged out Britain’s Andy Murray in a third-set tie-break on Thursday.

This year’s China Open is the first since 2019 after Beijing ditched its isolationist zero-Covid policy.

All of the eight top-ranked men are in action except world number one Novak Djokovic.

Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz takes on qualifier Yannick Hanfmann on Friday evening.