Medvedev, Khachanov experience mixed results in St. Petersburg openers

Playing his first match since coming up just short to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final, Daniil Medvedev returned to his winning ways on home soil Thursday.

Medvedev defeated wild card Evgeny Donskoy, 7-5, 6-3, to win his opener in St. Petersburg. The 23-year-old, who clinched his first ATP Finals berth as a result of a sizzling summer hard-court season that saw the Russian reach four successive finals and claim his maiden Masters 1000 crown, broke Donskoy four times. Ranked a career-high No. 4, the Moscow native will play countryman Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. Rublev staved off Ricardas Berankis, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

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Medvedev’s compatriot Karen Khachanov fell in his first match, though perhaps understandable given the world No. 9 became a parent for the first time just five days ago. Joao Sousa upset Khachanov, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in one hour and 39 minutes. The two were meeting for the first time since 2016, when Khachanov took their encounter in Chengdu.