This year’s US Open champion Danil Medvedev beat Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 6-2 to reach the third round at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Medvedev won 38 of his past 41 sets.
Medvedev did not face a break point and broke McDonald three times to win the 17th of his past 18 matches.
Medvedev earned his first break in the first game and held on his next service games to win the first set 6-4. The Russian player converted his fourth break point at deuce in the third game to take a 2-1 lead and broke for the second time in the fifth game to seal the second set 6-2.
Medvedev, who has extended his record at Indian Wells to 4-3, will face either Marcos Giron or Filip Krajinovic.
“I am actually really pleased, because usually I have not played in Indian Wells and I have not been playing well in practices before the tournament. I am really happy with my performance. That’s the most important thing no matter how I played before the tournament. Mackenzie is a really strong opponent. He can put pressure on everybody. I am happy to be through quite fast”, said Medvedev.
Diego Schwartzman saved two match points to beat US qualifier Maxime Cressy 6-2 3-6 7-5.
Schwartzman broke serve in the third and fifth games and saved four break points to win the first set 6-2. Cressy broke serve at love in the first game of the second game and saved three break points in the ninth game to win the second set 6-3.
Cressy went up a break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead in the decider. Schwartzman got back on serve, as Cressy was leading 5-4 40-15 before the Argentine player won the the next four points. Schwartzman broke serve for the second time in the 12th game to seal the third set 7-5 with his fourth consecutive game from 2-5 down.
Schwartzman set up a third round match against Daniel Evans, who rallied from one set down in his 4-6 3-6 6-4 win over Kei Nishikori.
In the opening set Nishikori took a 4-3 lead after a streak of three consecutive breaks. Evans saved five break points, as he was serving to stay in the set, but Nishikori served out at love.
Nishikori saved two break points in the second and fourth games of the second set. Evans converted his fifth break point at deuce to take a 4-2 lead.
Evans saved all break points he faced in the third set and converted his only break point in the seventh game to win the third set 6-4.
“It was a good match. It was satisfying, how I dealt with a bit of adversity after the first set. It was a first-round draw. Looking back, I lost the match, but I have pretty good memories. I know a lot of things that I did well, that worked. I know how he might try and play”, said Evans.
Casper Ruud won 80% of his first service points to cruise past Roberto Carballaes Baena 6-1 6-2 after 71 minutes. Ruud beat Cameron Norrie in the San Diego Open finals to win a tour-leading fifth title in 2021 and is currently eighth in the ATP Race to Turin. The Norwegian player will face either South Africa’s Lloyd Harris or Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.