Daniil Medvedev advanced in Adelaide.Credit:Getty Images
Daniil Medvedev has sent an ominous warning to his Adelaide International title rivals with a straight-sets demolition of Novak Djokovic’s countryman Miomir Kecmanovic.
Russia’s back-to-back Australian Open finalist was short of his best in his first-round victory over Lorenzo Sonego, with the Italian’s retirement early in the second set sparing him from a more gruelling affair.
But aside from a challenging opening service game and saving a break point in the fifth game, seventh-ranked Medvedev was mostly dominant in a 6-0, 6-3 thrashing of the world No.29.
Medvedev’s triumph ensures a Russian will feature in the Adelaide semi-finals, given his compatriot, Karen Khachanov, stands between him and a dream match-up with top seed Djokovic.
“I think it was a great match,” Medvedev said. “Miomir is a tough opponent, a high-ranked player – there are no easy guys left here in Adelaide, and I’m not sure there were from the first round, so I’m really happy to be through [and] really happy with my level, and I’m looking forward to the next matches.”
Kecmanovic was unable to pinch a set off Medvedev in their two meetings last year but couldn’t even muster a game in the first set this time around.
The crowd was generous enough to offer the Serbian a rousing reaction when he finally held serve in the second set, but his downtrodden body language suggested he was long odds to mount a fightback.
Even so, the second set was far more competitive, with Kecmanovic managing to blow some balls through Medvedev’s vast defences.
But the 2021 US Open champion never seemed threatened and went in for the kill in the eighth game of the second set, breaking Kecmanovic on his fourth opportunity before serving the match out.
Medvedev repeatedly wounded Kecmanovic with down-the-line backhands, but there was little he didn’t do well, including at one stage defying his 198-centimetre frame to chase down a short ball and flick a superb backhand winner.
