World number five Daniil Medvedev faced a major scare in the third round of the Rome Masters but managed to overcome qualifier Hamad Medjedovic in a thrilling encounter, 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-5. The Russian defending champion will now face Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, looking to continue his title defense.
Medvedev, who has been struggling with his form this season, was pushed to the limit by the 23-year-old Medjedovic, who was playing in his first ATP Masters 1000 tournament. The young Serb showed remarkable skill and determination, taking the second set 6-2 and pushing Medvedev to the brink in the decider.
Despite his struggles, Medvedev drew on his experience and skill to break Medjedovic’s serve in the 12th game of the final set, taking the match and avoiding a major upset. The Russian was visibly relieved after the win, acknowledging that he wasn’t pleased with his performance.
“I’m not really pleased with how I played, but I’m happy to have won,” Medvedev said in his post-match interview. “I started well, but then it was only going downhill. I need to find my best tennis if I want to go further in the tournament.”
Medvedev’s win sets up an intriguing quarterfinal clash with Tommy Paul, who has been in impressive form this season. The American has already won two titles this year and will be looking to cause an upset against the defending champion.
The Rome Masters has been hit by a string of high-profile withdrawals, with Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz all pulling out of the tournament. However, the event still boasts a strong field, with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev among the top seeds remaining.
In other matches, Tsitsipas eased past Cameron Norrie in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1), while Rublev suffered a shock defeat to French qualifier Alexandre Muller, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The tournament is wide open, and Medvedev will be looking to capitalize on his experience and skill to win his second consecutive title in Rome.
With his win over Medjedovic, Medvedev has reached the quarterfinals in Rome for the third consecutive year. He will be looking to build on this momentum as he faces Tommy Paul in the next round, aiming to continue his title defense and claim his second ATP Masters 1000 title of the season.
