Third seed Daniil Medvedev kicked off his grass-court season at the ATP Halle Open in style, defeating home favorite Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 on Monday. The 29-year-old, ranked No. 11 in the world, landed a precise volley at 4-3 in the opening set and closed it out with a stunning running backhand.
Fresh from a quarterfinal run in s-Hertogenbosch last week, Medvedev is on a mission to regain momentum after early losses at the Australian Open and French Open. Altmaier fought back, saving two match points late in the second set, but could not stop the 2021 US Open champion from sealing the win.
With the victory, Medvedev edges closer to his first grass-court crown since Mallorca in 2021. He will face Quentin Halys in the second round, setting the stage for another power-versus-precision showdown. As Wimbledon looms, the Russian's blend of baseline power and net savvy positions him as a dark horse on grass this summer.
Medvedev's smooth start sends a clear message: he is ready to contend for titles on every surface – grass included.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
