Daniil Medvedev is back in business and making a statement. The Russian top seed bulldozed his way into the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event in Marseille, dispatching local qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory in just 69 minutes. The former champion displayed a sharp contrast to his shaky outing in Rotterdam last week, tightening his grip on serve and dictating the tempo with ruthless precision.
Medvedev’s Tactical Masterclass Silences Home Crowd
Coming into the match, Medvedev had a point to prove—and he delivered in spectacular fashion. The world No. 10 was in complete control, conceding a mere ten points on serve while fending off the only break point he faced. Herbert, on the other hand, found himself overwhelmed by Medvedev’s relentless baseline aggression and impeccable returning.
The Frenchman landed a modest 56% of first serves, but his real downfall came on the second delivery, winning just eight points behind it. His six double faults only compounded the misery, allowing Medvedev to feast on his return, snatching 46% of those points and breaking three times from four opportunities.
Clinical Medvedev Shows No Mercy
Medvedev’s ability to blend precision with power was on full display. He fired 22 service winners, kept his game tidy with 19 winners against 13 unforced errors, and applied constant pressure. Herbert, by contrast, never found his rhythm, finishing with a bleak 10-28 winner-to-error ratio, cutting his tournament short in the second round.
The Decisive Moments: Medvedev Strikes Early and Never Lets Go
The match opened with a rapid exchange of solid holds, reaching 2-2 in just ten minutes. But that’s when the cracks began to show in Herbert’s game. A costly double fault in the fifth game handed Medvedev his first set of break points, and the Frenchman crumbled, spraying a backhand error to drop serve at love. Medvedev seized the momentum, consolidating the break and pressing harder.
The Russian turned the screws further in the seventh game, carving out two more break points. Herbert fended off one at the net but cracked under the relentless assault, misfiring on a routine forehand to fall behind 5-2. Medvedev wrapped up the set in 27 minutes, sealing it with an ace to leave his opponent gasping for solutions.
Herbert’s Last Stand Falls Short as Medvedev Slams the Door Shut
The second set briefly flickered with promise for the home favorite when he carved out his only break chance in the second game. But Medvedev shut the door instantly, detonating a huge first serve to erase the danger and holding serve to snuff out Herbert’s hopes.
The Frenchman’s fate was sealed in the very next game. Three more break points loomed large over his serve, and a double fault proved costly once again, gifting Medvedev the decisive break. From that moment, the Russian was untouchable. Even when he faced a 0-30 deficit in the eighth game, he brushed it aside with clinical serving, moving ahead 5-3 without blinking.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Medvedev turned the screws one final time, forcing a trio of match points. He needed just one, hammering down another service winner to ice the contest and march into the quarterfinals with an air of supreme authority.
What’s Next for Medvedev?
With momentum firmly on his side, Medvedev is looking more and more like the title favorite in Marseille. If this performance is anything to go by, his rivals should be on high alert. The former champion is back in his element—calm, calculated, and utterly ruthless.