National Bank Omnium | Medvedev beats around the bush, then bows

In tennis, some basic needs sometimes have to wait. Before losing in three sets of 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Daniil Medvedev learned this to his cost.

At the start of the third set, Medvedev was broken. At the change of ends, the Russian asked the official for permission to go to the toilet. He wondered if the time allowed would allow him to do so without incurring a penalty.

“I forgot that here you have to walk a long way to get to the toilets. It takes at least two minutes to get there, it’s far from the center court. I had to go there because I had been inactive for too long, I thought I could do it during the set, but the rule is not clear.”

The game continued, and then, while trailing 2-1, during a break, the referee confirmed to Medvedev that he would not be able to go to the toilet. The player then mocked him, asking if he would accept that he relieve himself in the corridor, right next to the court.

Then at 4-1, Medvedev added another layer: he told the official that he wanted to relieve himself directly on the court.

The inability to go to the toilet “cost Medvedev energy” at the end of the match. Ultimately, the Russian did not play his best match, converting only 32% of his second serves.

“It’s difficult because I was playing well in training, but when I started the match, I wasn’t playing well. I couldn’t adjust my passing shots and I missed shots that I shouldn’t have missed. It became difficult, but I gave it my all,” he concluded.

“I knew I had to stay calm after the first set,” Davidovich Fokina said after the match. “I was already thinking about the third set, how I was going to come back stronger.”

This was the fifth duel between the two opponents. It is the first time that the Spaniard, 42^e world, won.

“Daniil is one of the best players in the world,” praised Davidovich Fokina. “We played three times on hard courts before, and I always played the same way. I adapted,” he commented, without going into details.

Daniil Medvedev is the only member of the top 10 who has yet to win a championship this year. Before this game, Medvedev had been perfect in the first round this season and had never lost to a player ranked outside the top 10.

Zverev wastes no time

Later in the afternoon, Germany’s Alexander Zverev easily beat Australia’s Jordan Thompson in two identical sets of 6-1. The duel took just 63 minutes of play.

Although it may seem trivial, this victory was not a given for Zverev. He had lost his last two duels against Thompson, last February and in October 2023. Zverev’s last victory against him dates back to August 2017.

“It was a very solid performance for me. I think I played a good match. He certainly didn’t play his best. I took advantage of it,” commented the giant, who is almost 1.98m tall.

“He has a lot of talent, he can do different things with the ball. I was trying to play more aggressively than him,” he analyzed.

Just after meeting the media, Zverev took advantage of his time in the mixed zone to take a crowd bath, and above all, take a selfie with the supporters on site.

In the third round, Zverev will face the Dane Holger Rune, 13^e seeded.

Big comeback

Tournament favourite Jannik Sinner took to the centre court in the final match of the afternoon, beating Croatian Borna Ćorić in two sets of 6-2, 6-2.

The Italian described the match as “difficult”. He sometimes lacked opportunism, converting only three break points out of a possible eleven.

The match marked his return to action after a month-long absence. Sinner had been unable to compete at the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis. “I was very happy to be back on the court,” he said. “I served and returned well. It was a very positive start, let’s see what comes next.”

Sinner will have a good challenge in the third round, as he will face the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, 15^e tournament favorite. Ahead of the clash, Sinner wants to be “more unpredictable on the court” and “improve his first serve.”