NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former champion Daniil Medvedev was far from his best but still did enough to dispatch Fabian Marozsan 6-3 6-2 7-6(5) on Thursday to reach the U.S. Open third round.
Medvedev won an opening set that included six breaks of serve across nine games, with the Hungarian’s serve failing to pack a punch and the Russian’s uncharacteristically tentative serving leading to four double faults.
Medvedev was far more comfortable from there, helped by his opponent’s 45 unforced errors and catalogue of poorly-timed drop shots.
Medvedev sealed victory with a leaping backhand on match point and afterwards appeared annoyed with the muted reaction from the stands at Flushing Meadows, where he has had a rocky relationship with the crowds over the years.
Despite making the Australian Open and Indian Wells finals this year, fifth seed Medvedev was not among the favourites coming into the U.S. Open after first-round exits at tune-up events in Canada and Cincinnati.
Medvedev, who was broken four times in the match, faces Italian 31st seed Flavio Cobolli in the third round on Saturday.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
