Medvedev feeling confident after latest title as he shifts focus to NBO title defence
MONTREAL –
Moist climate stored many gamers in a irritating holding sample Monday afternoon on the Nationwide Financial institution Open. Defending champion Daniil Medvedev had no such challenge.
It is one of many perks of being the world’s top-ranked males’s singles participant. Medvedev obtained a first-round bye as a prime seed and certain will not play his opening match at IGA Stadium till Wednesday.
“I’ll have two good days of observe and after I am going to begin the event,” he stated. “In fact, I am very hungry for victories.”
In contrast to a lot of his ATP Tour friends who have been caught ready to see when the rain would let up, the assured Russian star might chill out understanding he solely needed to tinker together with his coaching schedule.
Medvedev held courtroom with reporters throughout a 15-minute availability earlier than persevering with preparations for his title defence on the Masters 1000 event.
He enters the competitors on a roll after successful in Mexico over the weekend. Medvedev did not lose a set on the event en path to claiming his 14th profession ATP-level crown.
“Feeling 100 per cent bodily (and I am) mentally prepared,” Medvedev stated. “Actually pleased with Los Cabos for certain with the title. Wanting ahead to right here, attempting to get some good matches.”
Medvedev, who competes beneath a impartial flag, might face Australia’s Nick Kyrgios within the second spherical. Kyrgios, who jumped 26 spots to No. 37 on this week’s rankings, was scheduled to open towards Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal is considered one of many younger stars who’re seeded for the US$6.53-million event. Others embody Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, Norway’s Casper Ruud and Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
Rafael Nadal withdrew on the eve of the event attributable to an stomach damage. The remainder of the so-called Massive Three — Roger Federer (knee) and Novak Djokovic (unvaccinated) — have been additionally absent.
“It would not change a lot in the event that they’re right here or not as a result of my objective is to win the event,” Medvedev stated. “So regardless of who I play ΓǪ if it should be a qualifier or wild card, fortunate loser, second seed, I simply need to win the match.”
Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori defeated Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a match that started 4 hours after its initially scheduled begin time.
In different early matches, American Jenson Brooksby beat Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-2, 6-3 and Russia’s Karen Khachanov topped Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-3. Alex Molcan of Slovakia defeated American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Rain returned later within the day, forcing the suspension of all night matches.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur had a 7-5, 6-6 lead on Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., when the clouds opened. That they had cut up the primary six factors of the second-set tiebreaker.
Organizers later postponed the suspended matches till Tuesday. Play was scheduled to renew at 11 a.m. Jap Time, an hour sooner than regular.
Wild-card entries Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., are additionally within the 56-player subject.
Auger-Aliassime has a first-round bye because the No. 6 seed and certain will not play his opening match till Wednesday. Pospisil was slated to play his opening doubles match with Sinner on Monday but it surely was rescheduled.
The singles subject contains 41 of the highest 44 gamers within the males’s rankings. The occasion returns to full capability this 12 months for the primary time since 2019.
Robert Bedard was the final Canadian to win this event, taking the 1958 title in Vancouver.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Aug. 8, 2022
