Much has changed in the life of Daniil Medvedev since he reached the US Open final two years ago. Then, he was something of an outlier, a volatile up-and-comer who arrived at Flushing Meadows off the back of a hugely successful summer with a first Masters series trophy in his bag and a chip on his shoulder.
Medvedev seemed determined to take on the whole of New York that summer, raising heckles with his on-court behaviour and feeding off the crowd’s animus as he was jeered to the rafters. The Russian eventually made his peace with the denizens of Arthur Ashe Stadium, winning them round during a battling defeat to Rafael Nadal in the final, but last year’s US Open was held without fans and only now has he had the opportunity to renew old acquaintances.
Facing Germany’s Dominik Koepfer, against whom he played the role of pantomime villain in the fourth round two years ago, assuring the crowd that the more they booed him, the more he would win, Medvedev could have been forgiven for wondering if all had been forgiven. If so, he needn’t have worried.
Medvedev returns to Flushing Meadows this summer not quite as an elder statesman of the game, but as the second best player in the world and, by common consensus, one of the few men capable of thwarting Novak Djokovic’s assault on the record books. His altered status was as evident on court, where he clinically dispatched an opponent he had trailed by a set and a break in 2019, as it was in the warmth with which he was embraced afterwards by the crowd.
“[It was a] completely different match than two years ago,” said Medvedev, who will play Pablo Andujar of Spain next, after his 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 victory. “Hopefully [it’s] going to be the same story, or even better, [as] after I beat him last time. But [it was a] great level from me. There were a few tight moments in the match, which I managed to play well, and I think that’s why in one moment his level dropped a little bit. I took advantage of it and I’m really happy to be through in less than two hours.
“[It’s] really special to be back with a crowd here in New York, it’s a big pity that last year we couldn’t have the crowd. Definitely, 2019 is going to stay in my mind. But what I’m trying to do is just be myself. Sometimes in the bad moments – as some people can remember – sometimes in the good ones, I just try to be myself and then I let people decide.”
Anyone who enjoys an unorthodox and cerebral twist on the heavy artillery and sinew-straining athleticism of the modern game will have long since decided in the Russian’s favour. Medvedev’s innate volatility is never too far beneath the surface – witness his recent camera-kicking antics in Cincinnati, where Andrey Rublev ended his hopes of winning a second Masters title in two weeks – but his quality is undeniable.
The opening game against Koepfer, a lengthy and attritional affair of several deuces, seemed to set the tone for a protracted baseline war. Medvedev – who broke, only to yield the advantage five games later with a rare display of laxity on serve – had other ideas. At 30-30 in the next game, he switched things up mid-rally with a slower, higher ball that tempted Koepfer to press a little too hard on his forehand. It was an innocuous moment, but it created the platform for another break, secured a few points later when Medvedev chased down a drop shot to hit a sweeping backhand winner.
A little thought can go a long way on a tennis court, and from there the Russian never looked back, bullying Koepfer from the baseline, winning 80% of the points behind his relentlessly powerful and consistent first serve, and making just under half of his returns.
Having broken twice to establish a healthy second-set lead, Medvedev held for 5-1 with the little-known rope-a-dope serve-and-volley routine. Storming in behind his serve, the second seed hit a seemingly suicidal drop volley that sat up invitingly for Koepfer. As the German hared forward, Medvedev turned away as though he had given up on the point, then suddenly sprang back to life, swishing the racket across his body to hit an improvised backhand volley from outside his right hip that completely bamboozled Koepfer.
Also through to the third round is Rublev, the fifth seed, who slammed 67 winners to beat Pedro Martínez, the world No 75. Rublev, who recently reached his second Masters final of the year in Cincinnati, recovered from a break down to win the opening set before missing three set points in the second as Martínez levelled the match. The Russian eventually saw through a 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 victory to set up an intriguing third-round meeting with Frances Tiafoe, a 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 winner over Guido Pella of Argentina.
Casper Ruud, the eighth seed, became the highest-profile casualty so far on the men’s side. The Norwegian fell to a 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 against Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, the world No 117. Also out is former semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov, the 15th seed, who was forced to retire mid-match for the second time in three slams. The Bulgarian was trailing 6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 4-0 when he succumbed to a foot injury.