Daniil Medvedev has been a losing finalist at the tournament in the past two years
Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev appears well on his way to what would be a third successive Australian Open final after he eased by local hero John Millman in straight sets (7-5, 6-2, 6-2) to qualify for the third round of this year’s first Grand Slam on Wednesday.
Medvedev, 26, overcame an unusually sluggish start in an opening set which saw his serve broken three times to eventually claim the opening frame, despite failing to convert his first set point.
However, it became business as usual in the second and third set for the Moscow native – securing a double-break in the second to open a sizable lead.
And any sign of a Millman fightback in the third was dismissed by Medvedev’s impressive selection of baseline shots as he looked to extend a run which has seen him lose just twice in the previous two Australian Opens.
Another run to the final would see him become just the fourth man in the Open era to reach three consecutive finals in Melbourne, and he might be boosted by the news that the man who beat him last year, Rafael Nadal, was surprisingly eliminated by the unheralded Mackenzie McDonald.
Smooth sailing for @DaniilMedwed, who accounts for local hope John Millman 7-5 6-2 6-2 to book a place in the third round.
He's looking very, very good.@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/YhFgTrM3wN