(New York) The world No.1 and defending champion Daniil Medvedev qualified Monday for the 2e round of the United States Open by easily dismissing the American Stefan Kozlov (111e) 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in 2:01.
Posted at 2:37 p.m.
In the next round, the 26-year-old Russian will face Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech (58e).
Medvedev won his first Major in New York last year by beating Novak Djokovic in the final, thus depriving the Serb of a Grand Slam. Then he followed up with a lost final at the Australian Open in January against Rafael Nadal.
At Roland-Garros, the Major which succeeds him the least, Medvedev lost this year in 8are finals and he did not play at Wimbledon, as the grass-court tournament turned away Russian and Belarusian players in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.
On Monday, for the opener of the United States Open on the huge Arthur-Ashe court, Medvedev took his revenge on a player who had beaten him in their only previous confrontation, in juniors.
“In juniors, he was unplayable. I’m two years older than him, an age difference normally insurmountable in juniors, but he crushed me. I am happy to have taken my revenge, ”commented Medvedev, happy to have been able to rely on his enormous service (10 aces and a success of 76% on the points played on his first ball).
The Russian also had 40 winners for 20 unforced errors.
“The conditions were not easy, with this heat and humidity,” he admitted.