ATP Cup: Daniil Medvedev suffers a shock loss to Ugo Humbert

Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock loss in his season opener against Ugo Humbert of France on Sunday in the ATP Cup, shocking his preparations for the Australian Open. The US Open champion will lead a Russian team burdened by injuries and Covid-19 in Sydney as they want to defend the title they won last year against Italy. But world runner-up Medvedev, who won four tour-level titles in 2021, was amazed at the impressive 35th place for Ugo Humbert on a hot Sydney day.

The Frenchman rushed out of the series and caused a big shock 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) in an exhausting 2 hours 55 minutes as Medvedev ran red from the heat. steam.

“It was very difficult today, but I’m very happy,” Humbert said of one of the biggest gains of his career.

“I had a few opportunities in the first set, and I was just trying to stay relaxed, focus on what I had to do, and it was a great match.”

Andrei Rublev, who finished fifth after missing a coronavirus infection at a show in Abu Dhabi last month, was chosen as the second-only player in Russia by unprecedented Roman Safiullin.

In 167th place, he saved 15/19 artillery and defeated Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 and created Medvedev, who could be the best seed at this month’s Australian Open if he defends. champion Novak Djokovic will not show up.

Djokovic has refused to confirm whether he has been vaccinated against Covid-19, which was a requirement for the opening of the year in the Grand Slam, and whether he will withdraw from the ATP Cup.

The Russia-France draw went to a decisive duel.

Russia is in the tough ATP Cup group, which also includes host Australia and Italy in second place in 2021, led by Matteo Berrettini, the seventh in the world.

They play each other in evening games with Berrettin against Alex de Minaur.

Only the winning countries will advance to the semi-finals of each of the four groups in the team event, which runs until January 9th.

In the second match of the night, Alexander Zverev’s Germany will face the British team led by Cameron Norrie, whose season in 2021 broke, when he stormed the rankings and ended up in 12th place.

Meanwhile, the United States won its match against Canada when high-service veteran John Isner defeated Brayden Schnur 6-1, 6-3 when he took 14th place at short notice to Denis Shapovalov, who withdrew from fatigue.

The 22-year-old continues to struggle after getting a positive Covid-19 test when he arrives in Sydney and then spends time in isolation.

“I’m disappointed when I wasn’t able to play the first match, but I just didn’t feel physically ready yet, so we did what’s best for the team,” said Shapovalov, who later made it easier to return by playing dead. double rubber.

Promoted

Taylor Fritz then shocked Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4.

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