Fast Courts = Fast Start For Medvedev In Miami

Daniil Medvedev has wasted little time returning to his winning ways, breezing past Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round of the Miami Open presented by Itau Saturday night.

In his first match since his 19-match winning streak was snapped by Carlos Alcaraz in last Sunday’s BNP Paribas Open final, the former World No. 1 enjoyed the faster conditions inside Hard Rock Stadium as he sprinted to a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

The 2021 US Open champion hit 18 winners to his opponent’s five. Medvedev also had success with the drop shot, perhaps taking a cue from his Indian Wells conqueror, Carlos Alcaraz.

“After my match with Carlos I thought I needed to use that shot more,” Medvedev joked. “I’ve always liked drop shots but it’s not a weapon in my game that I’m going to use 50 times a match. You need to have confidence in the shot and today it worked pretty well.”

The World No. 5 next faces World No. 56 Slovakian Alex Molcan, who defeated Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-2.

Medvedev won three consecutive titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai and last week reached his first final in Indian Wells.