TENNIS: Medvedev survives early scare to reach third round in Melbourne

Daniil Medvedev survived an early scare against Frenchman Quentin Halys in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, but he dug deep to secure a 6-7(9) 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory.

A three-time finalist at Melbourne Park, Medvedev battled for over an hour in the first set before losing in an intense tiebreak. He was also broken early in the second set by the world No. 83 but quickly regained his composure to level the match.

The 11th seed controlled the baseline exchanges in the third set, converting an early break point and following it up with an aggressive service game. Medvedev then exploited Halys’ weak returns with powerful groundstrokes to seal the win and advance to the third round.

“I feel I was playing much better in Brisbane,” said Medvedev, who won the Brisbane International tune-up event. “I still can’t get exactly used to the court here. I feel I am missing a bit of power in my shots.

“But while you continue winning in a tournament, you find it step-by-step.

“It’s the first time in a couple of years I’m in the third round of a Grand Slam, so I’m feeling good.”

Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, will meet Hungarian Fabian Marozsan in the third round. -Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters