World no. 3 Daniil Medvedev will seek his first clay-court Masters 1000 title at the Madrid Masters. The Russian made a winning start in Caja Magica and scored a 6-4, 6-3 triumph against Andrea Vavassori in an hour and 22 minutes. Medvedev delivered reliable numbers on the first and second serve and defended all three break chances to keep the pressure on his opponent. The Italian gave his best to follow the pace of a better-ranked player, facing four break points and getting broken once in each set to finish his run in the second round. Both players had a similar number of winners and errors, and Daniil prevailed in the crucial moments to emerge at the top. Medvedev fired 20 service winners and built the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges to seal the deal and kick off his campaign with a win. The Russian hit a double fault in the encounter’s first game and faced two break points.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Andrea Vavassori in Caja Magica.
He saved with good serves and held with a forced error to avoid an early setback. World no. 3 held at love in the third game for 2-1, and the Italian locked the result at 2-2 after deuces in the next one. Andrea placed a forehand winner at the net in the sixth game for another fine hold and 3-3. Vavassori attacked in the ninth game and drew Medvedev’s error for his third and last break chance. Daniil denied it with a service winner and brought the game home with another for 5-4 and a boost. Andrea faced the first problems on serve in the tenth game and landed a volley long to experience three set points. Medvedev seized the first to clinch a late break and claim the opener 6-4 in 39 minutes.
Daniil barely lost a couple of points behind the initial shot in the second set and kept the pressure on the other side. Medvedev fired a service winner in the third game for 2-1 and created two break points in the next one after Vavassori’s loose forehand. The Italian denied both with winners and held with another direct point at the net for 2-2. Daniil grabbed the seventh game at love with a powerful serve and forced Andrea’s error at the net with a sharp return in the next one for three break chances. Medvedev grabbed the first with a drop shot winner to seize the crucial advantage and serve for the victory at 5-3. Daniil held at 15 in game nine, taking 12 of the final 13 points to seal the deal in style and make a winning start.