NEW YORK — Defending champion Daniil Medvedev returned to the quarterfinals at the Western & Southern Open with a 6-3, 6-3 victory Tuesday over Aljaz Bedene, who accidentally hit a ball that struck a TV cameraman in the stands between second-set points.
The cameraman did not appear hurt, but an ATP Tour supervisor came onto the court to determine whether Bedene should forfeit the match. Instead, he was given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct.
As Bedene, a qualifier ranked 61st, left the court after the match was over, he walked over and exchanged a fist bump with the cameraman.
The No. 3-seeded Medvedev never faced a break point and won 89% of the points when he put his first serve in play.
Last year, the Russian’s title at the Western & Southern Open was part of a stretch in which he reached the finals at six consecutive tournaments, including a runner-up finish to Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open.
The Western & Southern Open usually is held in Ohio, but it was moved to New York this year as part of a no-spectators-allowed doubleheader at the U.S. Open site in Flushing Meadows to create a controlled environment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Also moving into the quarterfinals with early and easy wins Tuesday were two seeded women: No. 12 Anett Kontaveit and No. 14 Elise Mertens.
Kontaveit beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-3; Mertens defeated Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 6-3. Kudermetova surprised No. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova in the second round, while Bouzkova had eliminated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
