Medvedev downs Van de Zandschulp to advance in Cincinnati

World No.1 Daniil Medvedev kicked off his Western & Southern Open campaign on Tuesday night, ousting Botic Van de Zandschulp to advance to the second round.

The 2021 Cincinnati semifinalist looked impressive in the 6-4 7-5 win over his Dutch opponent, outplaying Van de Zandschulp from the start of the match.

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Medvedev was impeccable on serve, winning all 12 points behind his first serve and not facing a break point in the opening set. The top seed required just a single break to take the first set, as Van de Zandschulp was unable to cope with the superior firepower coming from his opponent's racket.

The second set was almost a repeat of the first, with Medvedev hitting six aces and winning over 80% of points behind his first set. However, a minor lapse in concentration saw both players exchange breaks, before the defending US Open champion obtained a second break and closed out the match after an hour and 35 minutes.

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With the World No.1 ranking up for grabs this week in Cincinnati, Medvedev must reach at least the quarterfinals to secure that position. The 26-year old will face the winner between Canada's Denis Shapovalov and the in-form Tommy Paul.