Match Report
Medvedev gains revenge in Almaty, keeps alive Turin hopes
Michelsen, Mochizuki reach last eight
October 16, 2025
Andrey Udartsev/Almaty Open
Daniil Medvedev holds a 35-21 record on the season according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
By Sam Jacot
Daniil Medvedev gained revenge against Adam Walton on Thursday at the Almaty Open, where he overcame the Australian 7-5, 7-6(0) to reach the quarter-finals at the ATP 250.
Medvedev lost to the Australian in Cincinnati in August but ensured history would not repeat itself in Kazakhstan. The second seed trailed 1-4 in the second set and fended off four break points in the sixth game of the second set to avoid trailing 1-5.
After holding, Medvedev went on the charge. He upped his depth in the baseline exchanges and struck 12 winners in the second set to advance after one hour and 45 minutes. Medvedev reached the semi-finals in Shanghai and Beijing and has won eight of his past 10 matches. He will next play Fabian Marozsan.
“It was a very tough match. The game at 1-4, I think I saved four or five break points. It was crucial because then I managed to break back and get back into my rhythm, so I am pleased to have defeated a tough opponent,” said Medvedev, who is level at 1-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Walton.
The 29-year-old, chasing his first title since 2023, is up one spot to 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and could still qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the seventh consecutive year. He trails eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti by 1025 points. The Italian is in the final qualification spot.
Earlier, Shintaro Mochizuki and Alex Michelsen set a quarter-final meeting in Almaty. Japanese star Mochizuki defeated fourth-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the last eight at a tour-level event for the first time this season.
The 22-year-old, who reached the semis in Tokyo in 2023, is up 10 spots to No. 92 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to crack the Top 100 for the first time on Monday. Mochizuki dominated the baseline exchanges against Darderi at the indoor hard-court event to advance after just 65 minutes.
Michelsen arrived in Almaty on a five-match losing run but has looked good in Kazakhstan. The American downed Beibit Zhukayev in the first round and backed that up with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph against Aleksandar Vukic.
