Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas through as opponents wilt in searing Melbourne heat

Daniil Medvedev will contest an Australian Open second-round encounter with Emil Ruusuvuori after his first-round opponent Terence Atmane retired injured.

The two-time Australian Open finalist was leading 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0 when his opponent had to withdraw from the match.

Atmane – contesting the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time – took the first set off the world No. 3 but in searing heat began to struggle with cramps.

The mercury hit 29 degrees on Margaret Court Arena and, while it impacted both players, it was the Russian who managed the conditions better.

“When I started to feel tough physically he started cramping, so it was brutal conditions,” Medvedev said after the match.

“I’ve been here for seven days and it hasn’t been hot, and now it was hot for the first match. I was getting tired but many times in these situations the other guy is getting tired too and it’s about who manages it better.”

Medvedev began in the ascendancy against the world No. 144 and an early break put him in control of the first set. However, he opened with a double as he served to take a one-set lead at 5-4 to surrender a break and was broken again to fall behind.

The world No. 3 rallied to level proceedings after he again secured an early break and this time backed it up before serving it out.

As the heat and cramps bit, mobility became an issue for Atmane and Medvedev capitalised, breaking again. However, if the script suggested the writing was on the wall, the Frenchman had not read it, breaking back to level at 2-2.

Eventually, though, the physical toll of the heat began to weigh heavy on the 22-year-old and Medvedev capitalised to take a one-set advantage.

And Atmane would retire after dropping serve in the first game of the next set.

Elsewhere, Stefanos Tsitsipas prevailed against Zizou Bergs, fighting back from a set down to beat the lucky loser 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-3.

Bergs was a late replacement for Matteo Berrettini, whose injury woes continue unabated. And the 129th-ranked Belgian looked ready to take advantage of his unexpected appearance at the first Grand Slam of the year.

However, having won the first set, he began – like Atmane – to struggle physically.

Bergs retired with cramp in qualifying against Dane Sweeny and Tsitsipas raced away with the match as those struggles appear to return on Rod Laver Arena.

Tsitsipas said in his post-match interview that the late change of opponent offered up unexpected complications but that he was happy to fight his way out of a tight spot.

“I was expecting Matteo and things like this are quite dangerous when you are preparing for a specific type of player,” Tsitsipas said.

“It was not easy for me but I had that determination… I am glad I turned it around and showed that fighting spirit.”

Next up for Tsitsipas is the winner of Aleksandar Vukic and Jordan Thompson.