Medvedev wins but Tsitsipas out

NEW YORK • Russian Daniil Medvedev is trying to "learn every day" as he began his US Open title defence on Monday against the backdrop of his country's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The world No. 1 and his compatriots were banned from participating at Wimbledon due to the conflict, which began on Feb 24.

Medvedev, 26, returned to the Grand Slam stage with a straightforward 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 win over American Stefan Kozlov.

He is competing at Flushing Meadows as a neutral participant, with most of the global sporting community moving swiftly to isolate Russia and Belarus, a key staging area for the invasion.

Asked about the ongoing war, he said after his victory: "I try to learn every day. Most of my really good friends, they know who I am. I'm still Daniil Medvedev, still play tennis. I tend to think that I'm quite kind in life."

"The situation in Ukraine didn't change this. And same, you know, about some Ukrainians, there are a lot of good Ukrainians; there are some bad Ukrainians. There are a lot of good Russians; there are some bad Russians."

Medvedev, who previously said he did not object to competing as a neutral, added: "I tried to learn for myself that it's really important, in my opinion, to see person by person."

It has been a stop-start year for him owing to injury and the fallout from the hostilities in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, he won his first ATP Tour title of the season at Los Cabos in Mexico and ahead of today's second-round contest with Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, he hopes to make a bang at the final Major of the year.

He added: "I want to play well and if I don't do it, I will not care that I won it last year, I will just be disappointed that this year didn't work out my way.

"I remember last year were some crazy matches. All of them were really high level from me. That's what I want to continue doing this year."

In other first-round matches, Nick Kyrgios overcame his despair at seeing good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis on the other side of the net, outclassing his compatriot 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

The doubles partners won their first title together at the Australian Open in January. While the Wimbledon finalist kept his sublime year on track, never facing a break at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the battle of the "Special Ks", it was still tough mentally.

"Probably one of the most uncomfortable matches I've played in my career," Kyrgios said. "I feel like we both had a game plan. We know our games so well.

"I feel like there's probably two players, two or three players, that after tennis, I'm probably going to stay in contact until I probably die, to be honest. Thanasi is one of them. It's just really hard."

Among the shock exits in the first round were Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz, fourth and 10th seed respectively. They both lost to qualifiers.

REUTERS