Daniil Medvedev fought through a tough second-round match at the ATP 1000 National Bank Open in Montreal, eventually defeating Alexander Bublik 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Despite a weather delay and a slow start, the top seed showed great resilience to push through and advance to the third round.
Daniil Medvedev registered a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Alexander Bublik in the second round of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open in Montreal. Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round after winning a match, that was delayed by the weather. Top seed Daniil Medvedev played exceptionally well to overcome a poor start.
The match began poorly for Medvedev, who struggled with his serve and dropped the first set 6-4. However, a timely rain break seemed to act as a turning point. Returning to the court with renewed focus, he broke Bublik's serve in the second set's sixth game to tie the match. He then seized the initiative immediately in the final set with an early break, dominating the remainder of the match despite only one breakpoint appearing in the third set.
The battle lasted two hours before Medvedev officially claimed victory. This win brings his career record against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik to a perfect 5-0, though it marks the first time he hasn't won in straight sets. This victory caps off a series of three meetings between the two this year, following their matches at the French Open in May and the Tokyo Olympics, in all of which Medvedev emerged victorious.
The match featured a lighthearted yet unusual moment when the chair umpire issued Medvedev a hindrance penalty after a 'mystery point.' The official later clarified that the penalty was due to Medvedev speaking while the ball was still in play.
Medvedev is currently enjoying a career-defining year. While he fell to Novak Djokovic in his first Australian Open final, he has shown incredible form, reaching the quarter-finals in his first Olympic appearance. This tournament also carries a bit of history for him, as he previously reached the Toronto final in 2019, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.
Rafael Nadal, who has won the ATP Toronto Masters five times, has been forced to withdraw from the competition because of a lingering injury to his left foot. Feliciano Lopez will step in to take Nadal's place in the main draw.
Nadal is heading back to Spain to focus on rehabilitating his foot, an injury that has seriously hampered his recent schedule. The condition caused him to miss both Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics, and it contributed to a surprising third-round exit at the Washington Open last week.
Expressing his frustration, Nadal admitted that the pain has made it impossible for him to truly enjoy the game. His primary goal now is to recover fully and get back into peak condition before the U.S. Open kicks off in New York on August 30th.