Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev has advanced to the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome without stepping onto the court. His scheduled second-round opponent, Czech player Tomas Machac, withdrew due to illness, handing Medvedev a walkover.
Medvedev, the seventh seed and world No. 9, was set to face Machac, ranked 41st globally. However, the Czech’s late withdrawal meant the Russian progressed automatically. In the next round, Medvedev will face the winner of the match between Frenchman Corentin Moutet and Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz.
The 30-year-old Russian boasts 23 ATP titles and is the highest-ranked Russian on the tour. The Rome Masters, with a prize pool of €8.235 million, will conclude on May 17. Medvedev will look to build on his strong season as he aims for his first title of 2025.
