Former top-ranked player Daniil Medvedev displayed strong performance at the Australian Open, defeating Jesper de Jong 7-5, 6-2, 7-6(2) to progress to the next round. Medvedev, who recently won the Brisbane International, capitalized on seven out of 13 break points against De Jong, maintaining a flawless 6-0 start for the 2026 season as per ATP reports.
In a match lasting two hours and 53 minutes, Medvedev overcame some ups and downs to secure victory against the World No. 73 in their first-ever encounter. Despite facing challenges like losing a break lead in the initial set and failing to close out the match twice in the third set, he ultimately controlled the game and dominated the decisive tie-break at the Margaret Court Arena.
Following a tough 2025 season with just one Grand Slam victory, Medvedev finished the year on a high note by clinching an ATP 250 title in Almaty. His next opponent will be Quentin Halys, who defeated Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets.
In his post-match interview, Medvedev expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “Last year, I lost almost each major in the first round, except here, actually, so I’m happy to win in straight sets, even if some of them were up and down. The conditions felt slow, so we were both breaking each other’s serve a lot. The most important (thing) is to win, and hopefully I can play better next round.”
Medvedev also mentioned his plan to relax in an ice bath after the match, noting, “It is warm, but I felt okay and I think then he was probably struggling a tiny bit more than me… Hopefully it doesn’t get worse than what we felt here. For sure, a bit of an ice bath never feels bad after such a warm match.”
