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.

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.

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.