(Reuters) – Russia’s Daniil Medvedev said he hopes his 6-2 6-4 win over Egor Gerasimov in Marseille can be the start of another long winning run following a blip in Rotterdam.
The Australian Open finalist’s shock defeat by Serbian Dusan Lajovic at Rotterdam last week was only his second loss in 22 matches.
“It’s time to build a new streak, a new dynamic,” said the Russian, who will move up one place to No. 2 in the world rankings on Monday.
“That’s why tennis is sometimes good and sometimes bad. When you lose first round, you have next week to try to win the tournament.
“But when you win a lot of matches in a row, you can lose a few first rounds and then you are feeling like you’re playing very bad. You always have to remember good moments.”
Medvedev faces 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner in the Marseille quarter-finals.
“That’s a tough draw. I could definitely have an easier draw with playing Egor straightaway and Jannik in the quarters,” he added.
Regardless of the result, he will be the first player outside Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to be ranked in the top two since Nadal overtook Lleyton Hewitt to become number two in 2005.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
