Medvedev Advances to Quarterfinals at China Open. Rublev Crashes Out

Russia's Daniil Medvedev hits a return to Australia's Alex De Minaur during their men's singles second round tennis match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)
Russia's Daniil Medvedev hits a return to Australia's Alex De Minaur during their men's singles second round tennis match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)
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Medvedev Advances to Quarterfinals at China Open. Rublev Crashes Out

Russia's Daniil Medvedev hits a return to Australia's Alex De Minaur during their men's singles second round tennis match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)
Russia's Daniil Medvedev hits a return to Australia's Alex De Minaur during their men's singles second round tennis match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)

Third-ranked Daniil Medvedev showed composure to overcome a characteristically tenacious Alex de Minaur on Saturday, and secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the China Open.

The second-seeded Medvedev emerged with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win in Beijing, but not before his 12th-ranked Australian opponent had staged a comeback from trailing 5-2 in the first set to force a tiebreaker.

“It’s crazy how every time he is down in a match, you know he is going to start playing like he is No. 1 in the world," Medvedev said, according to The Associated Press. "Tough to play against him, a tough victory, but I am happy with my level.”

“Confidence is key. When I am in good shape and good form, I have this ability to win these kinds of matches in straight sets. If I’m missing just 2% of what I’m doing right now, that’s when it’s tougher."

The Russian will next face Ugo Humbert on Monday, after the Frenchman upset fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Humbert thwarted Rublev’s attempt to serve out the match at 5-3 in the final set and then completed the comeback victory with a dominant tiebreaker.
Nicolas Jarry, who eliminated fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the previous round, beat qualifier Matteo Arnaldi 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.