Acapulco, Feb. 23 (BNA): Daniil Medvedev continued his quest for the top spot with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Benoit Pierre on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Mexican Open.
The 26-year-old Russian could overtake Novak Djokovic to take the top spot in the men’s tennis rankings if he wins the title here, according to the Associated Press.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open winner and runner-up Rafael Nadal last month at the Australian Open, is playing in Mexico for the first time.
“It is not easy to come back after a break and some time out of the competition,” said Medvedev, who recovered from a breakdown in the second set to win. “I was able to fight to the end against a very difficult opponent and I’m glad I was able to win.”
He then plays Pablo Andujar, who beat Alex Hernandez 6-0, 6-1.
If he wins this tournament, or reaches the Acapulco final and Djokovic does not win the title in Dubai, Medvedev will become the first player other than Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to lead since 2004.
He admitted he was considering the achievement, but acknowledged that it might not happen next week.
“I know that in the next three tournaments that could be a possibility and that’s why I’m going to try to do it, because it’s not a dream anymore, it’s a goal,” he said. “I will try to play well in the next three tournaments to achieve that.”
Medvedev’s biggest potential challenge in Mexico may be fourth seed Nadal, who opened with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Denis Kudla.
Nadal, who won three Acapulco titles (2005, 2013 and 2020), faces Stefan Kozlov tomorrow Wednesday.
Medvedev could meet Nadal for the first time since the Australian Open semi-final in Acapulco. Nadal rushed to win the final at Melbourne Park in five sets to claim the record 21st men’s singles title at a Grand Slam, breaking the tie with Federer and Djokovic. It also prevented Medvedev from becoming the first man of the Open Era to win his second major title at the next Grand Slam event.
Nadal initially said after winning the Australian title that he was considering skipping Acapulco to rest his body in order to play in Indian Wells, but later decided to travel to Mexico again.
“The last few years I’ve played fewer tournaments…and now I do it where I feel, and at this point in my career, that place (which) makes me feel good,” Nadal said.
Unlike Medvedev, the 35-year-old Nadal said the number one ranking is no longer something he craves.
“That time has passed for me,” he said, “I think all my physical problems have taken this opportunity away from me and I’m no longer chasing that goal, and it would be wrong for me to go after it.” “If I could only do it while playing in the tournaments I could, I would be very happy.”
That’s unlikely, he said, given the number and quality of young players who could participate in more tournaments than he could.
In other matches on Tuesday, Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Laszlo Djeri 7-6 (7) 7-6 (4), and Tommy Paul advanced to a meeting with Dusan Lajovic when fifth seed Matteo Berrettini retired from the match in the second set due to a muscle in his abdomen. Yoshihito Nishioka beat Feliciano Lopez 2-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Berrettini, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open, won the first set 6-4 but lost 5-1 in the second when he withdrew.
Cameron Norrie eliminated Daniel Altmaier 7-6 (5) 6-2 and will face John Isner on Wednesday. Marcus Geron advanced when John Millman retired in the second set.
The Mexico Open, the 500, is held on the hard courts at the GNP Arena in Acapulco, a popular tourist destination south of Mexico City.