Medvedev labours into Wimbledon third round

Eighth seed Daniil Medvedev battled through to the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday, overcoming a slow start to defeat Spanish debutant Daniel Merida. The Russian eventually secured a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 victory after a match that tested his patience and skill.

Merida, a 21-year-old ranked 84th in the world, proved a difficult opponent for much of the contest. Medvedev, who won the U.S. Open in 2021, appeared to struggle with rhythm in the initial stages. "I was lacking rhythm a little bit in the beginning," Medvedev admitted in a courtside interview.

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I was lacking rhythm a little bit in the beginning.

However, the 30-year-old Russian found his form in the crucial fourth set. He broke Merida's serve twice and ultimately sealed the match with a powerful serve that the Spaniard could only tip into the net. Medvedev acknowledged the importance of his serving game in securing the win.

"My serve didn't really let me down today," the lanky 1.98-meter player stated, expressing relief at advancing despite the initial difficulties.

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My serve didn't really let me down today.