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Medvedev follows Ruud and Tsitsipas into Madrid Open last 16

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Daniil Medvedev joined Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Madrid Open's round of 16 on Monday, with the Russian hardly troubled in a 6-3 6-2 win over Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.

Medvedev only needed one hour and 10 minutes to power past Budkov Kjaer, with the win teeing up a meeting with either Flavio Cobolli or Adolfo Vallejo at the next stage.

An immediate break set the tone for an opening set in which Medvedev won 77% of his first-serve points (10/13).

Another break in game five gave the Russian breathing room, and though he handed a break back soon afterwards, he then got another of his own.

The start of the second set was another story as Budkov Kjaer registered a swift break, but the Norwegian was pegged back in the very next game.

Medvedev was on the front foot from that moment on, applying constant pressure on the return, and after he broke again in game six, he was able to serve the contest out.

Earlier on Monday, reigning champion Ruud eased to a 6-3 6-1 win over home favourite Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, teeing up an intriguing meeting with Tsitsipas.

Having defeated Alexander Bublik last time out, Tsitsipas put in another impressive display against Spanish qualifier Daniel Merida, winning 6-4 6-2.

Data Debrief: Ruud marches on, century up for Tsitsipas

Ruud has now won eight matches in a row at the Madrid Open, with the Norwegian knowing he must continue his title defence until at least the semi-finals to avoid falling outside the top 20 of the ATP Rankings. 

Tsitsipas' win, meanwhile, was his 100th on clay courts this decade (since the start of 2000), and it booked his place in the last 16 of the Madrid Open for a fifth time (also 2019, 2021-23).