Medvedev wins in straight sets, through to fourth round at Australian Open

The world No. 2 cemented his status as the tournament favourite after clinching the 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win in just under two hours.

Published : Jan 22, 2022 13:12 IST , MELBOURNE

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has cruised past Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Margaret Court Arena to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has cruised past Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Margaret Court Arena to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open.
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Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has cruised past Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Margaret Court Arena to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open.

World number two Daniil Medvedev swept aside Dutch Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open and stay on track for a second successive Grand Slam title.

Van de Zandschulp, ranked 57th in the world, was the only player to take a set off the Russian when the pair met in their previous meeting at last year's U.S. Open, which Medvedev went on to win for his first major title.

 

Medvedev, the highest-ranked player remaining in the men's draw due to the absence of Serb Novak Djokovic, made it look easy on Saturday, breaking his opponent's serve four times in the match to win under two hours at the Margaret Court Arena.

The 2021 Melbourne Park finalist will meet either Australian wildcard Christopher O'Connell or American Maxime Cressy for a place in the quarterfinals.

"I was hoping you were going to be a little bit easier on me you guys," Medvedev joked to the crowd, after he was booed by sections of the pro-Kyrgios crowd on Thursday.

"I'll put it this way, it's easier to play a guy from the Netherlands than a guy from Australia in Australia in Melbourne.

"Every good relationship must have its ups and downs so I think it's good, it's entertaining and it's real, there is some relationship going on."

The Russian 25-year-old was unhappy with the behaviour of some of the spectators in the stormy Kyrgios match, saying afterwards: "It's not everybody doing it but people who are doing it probably have a low IQ."

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