Daniil Medvedev is a 20-time tour-level singles champion, but he has yet to win a single event more than once. If his opening performance at the Erste Bank Open is any indication, Medvedev could put an end to that statistical anomaly this week in Vienna.
The top seed earned a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win against #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils on Wednesday in the pair's first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. In a masterful performance, Medvedev lost just five points on serve and recorded a clean stat line of 16 winners and eight unforced errors.
"I was a little bit nervous coming into the match," Medvedev said, explaining that he took a week off from practice following Shanghai, during which time he celebrated his daughter's birthday. "Arthur wants this top win and he's going to get it one day. But luckily I managed to serve well, play well, kind of work him out during the match and it worked, so I'm very happy."
"Mesmerising Medvedev" 😲
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 25, 2023
Top seed @DaniilMedwed bringing top drawer tennis up a set and break on Fils@ErsteBankOpen | #erstebankopen pic.twitter.com/wNdEpK98MH
Medvedev was clinical in all aspects of his game in the 75-minute match, using his forehand to do the most damage with seven winners off that wing. His relentless yet steady game drew 31 unforced errors from Fils, who made the final in Antwerp last week.
Following the victory, Medvedev was full of praise for his opponent, who began the season outside the Top 250 and now sits at a career high of No. 38 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
"He's super young, a big jump in the rankings. Usually when we see guys like this, sooner or later he's going to get in the Top 10," Medvedev said after denying Fils his third Top 10 win and what would have been the biggest victory of his career by ranking. "Then the question is, does he stay there for 10 years or he just comes there and drops out? We never know, but he has big potential and hopefully he can realise it."
After defeating the 19-year-old Fils, Medvedev will next meet 32-year-old Grigor Dimitrov in the second round. The Bulgarian entered Vienna after a run to the Shanghai semi-finals in his last event.
Stockholm champion Gael Monfils also earned an afternoon victory in Vienna, extending his winning streak to six matches with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Daniel Altmaier. The Frenchman earned a marquee meeting with seventh seed Frances Tiafoe in the second round.
Monfils hit eight aces and saved all five break points against him in the victory against Germany's Altmaier.
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