Medjedovic edges closer to US Open main draw

Hamad Medjedovic has inched closer to participating in the US Open main draw for the first time in his career—the Serb’s dream after he recorded a victory that set him qualifying on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old 2023 Next Gen ATP winner began his road to one of tennis’s biggest grand slams with a victory over Oriol Rocal Botalia. Hamad Medjedovic defeated Oriol in a close match that was exhilarating for both players. The Serb won two sets out of three, with the final score being 2-6, 6-4, and 6-2.

Medjedovic has progressed through qualifying in every major he has participated in, which is encouraging for the Serbian, who will take on Duje Ajdukovic next. Medjedovic made it to the Wimbledon main draw in 2023 and qualified for Roland Garros for the second time in a row in May.

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After defeating Brandon Holt 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, Abdullah Shelbayh moved on to the second round. The 20-year-old Jordanian defeated the 26-year-old Holt by converting five of his six break points.

Shelbayh is aiming for his first significant role in the main event. At the Australian Open this year, he advanced to the third round of qualifying and defeated Medjedovic in the penultimate round.

In just 57 minutes, Aslan Karatsev, the third seed, defeated Enzo Couacaud 6-3, 6-1, scoring nine of ten net points in the process. With 28 winners to his opponent’s six from the baseline, Karatsev was as clinical.

Having advanced to the third round on two occasions at Flushing Meadows (2021, 2023), Karatsev is aiming to record his fourth straight main draw participation.

Elsewhere, Pole Maks Kasnikowski defeated home favourite Emilio Nava 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

China’s Buyunchaokete defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama 6-2, 7-6(4). In the all-Croatian encounter, Dino Prizmic lost to Ajdukovic 6-2, 6-4.

Leading the American effort was 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, who defeated Ugo Blanchet 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-4. Mitchell Krueger, Patrick Kypson, and J.J. Wolf were some of the other home hopes to progress.

The main event is set to commence next Monday in New York city as it’s qualifiers hit centre stage.