World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev made a successful entry into Roland-Garros a week after returning from injury, beating Argentinian Facundo Bagnis (ATP 103) 6-2 6-2 6-2.
If his dry defeat in Geneva against Richard Gasquet had worried about the condition of the Russian, operated on for a hernia, his more than controlled match – as evidenced by his 35 winning shots – reassured.
This is only the 2nd time that the ex-world no1 has passed the 1st round of Roland-Garros as he himself joked on the court.
“I love Roland, well especially since last year (red: when he had reached the quarter-finals),” quipped in his impeccable French the Russian, who has never won a tournament on clay.
“Often on Sunday, it was already over”
“Before I don’t know if I didn’t like it but I didn’t stay long, added Medvedev. Often on Sunday it was already over. There at least, the 1st round was Tuesday and I’m happy to have won.”
Less comfortable on Parisian clay where he lost 4 times in the first round in 6 appearances, Medvedev also stayed off the courts for 2 months due to surgery to treat a hernia.
“I’m very goodhe reassured. When I did the surgery, I didn’t think I was going to play on clay.”
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