Daniil Medvedev acknowledged he had to rely on "pure reflexes" when dealing with big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their Dubai Tennis Championships last-16 clash. (More Tennis News)
The former US Open champion progressed to the quarter-finals at the ATP 500 event for a third consecutive year, after prevailing 6-4 6-4 in just under an hour-and-a-half.
Medvedev, who was victorious here in 2023, was facing the powerful serves of Mpetshi Perricard for the first time at ATP Tour level.
But while winning 96% of points behind his own first serve (23 out of 24), the top seed also broke his opponent in each set, with both breaks proving crucial as he set up a last-eight meeting with Tallon Griekspoor.
"You don't have any time, so it's pure reflexes," Medvedev said of Mpetshi Perricard's serve. "It makes it even easier, because if you don't return it, you're not even disappointed.
"There were some second serves I missed [however], and I was disappointed. You just try to do your best and I managed it pretty well today.
"It's tactically easy in a way, because you have to be strong on your [own] serve. I was very good on my serve. Then, you can put pressure on his serve, try to guess or see something. I'm generally happy with my level."
