Medvedev, Zhang Advance in Marseille; Upsets Mark ATP 250 Quarterfinals

MARSEILLE, France — Daniil Medvedev and Zhang Zhizhen advanced to the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event in Marseille on February 13, 2025, showcasing impressive performances as both players seek to regain momentum this season.

Medvedev, the tournament’s top seed, earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory against French qualifier Mattia Bellucci in a rematch of the 2021 final, which the Russian also won. This victory marks Medvedev’s first quarterfinal appearance of the year after struggling early on, including early exits at the Australian Open and Rotterdam. “I feel pretty good, which might be surprising when you’re lacking confidence,” Medvedev said post-match. He revealed that he is focusing on accumulating wins to regain his form.

With 90 percent efficiency on his first serve points (26 out of 29), Medvedev expressed satisfaction with his performance. “Did not lose my serve and happy to win,” he noted. The former US Open champion is chasing his first title since Rome in May 2023 and faces Hugo Gaston in the next round.

Zhang Zhizhen also highlighted the day’s matches with a significant upset over fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz, winning 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-3. The match displayed the power of both players, with Zhang hitting 37 winners compared to Hurkacz’s 30. “I felt great on court today… I guess I like it here,” Zhang remarked, recalling his previous success in Marseille.

Earlier matches saw Belgium’s Zizou Bergs earn a hard-fought victory against eight-seed Sebastian Korda, winning 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2. Bergs maintained a dominant performance, not facing any break points in the deciding set. The win marked Bergs’ fifth tour-level quarterfinal entry.

In a separate tournament in Buenos Aires, Brazilian teenager Gabriel Fonseca continued to impress, advancing to the quarterfinals after defeating Argentina’s Federico Coria 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. The 18-year-old acknowledged the nerves he experienced in the match but remained focused and positive. “I’m very happy the way that I fought to the end,” Fonseca said, boosting his ranking significantly in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

Diego Schwartzman played his final match, losing 6-2, 6-2 in his farewell tournament at the IEB+ Argentina Open. The Argentine thrilled his home crowd earlier in the tournament with an upset but could not repeat that success in his final appearance, drawing a poignant reaction from the fans.

As the ATP 250 tournaments get closer to the semifinals, all players are focused on using these opportunities to build confidence and secure valuable points in their campaigning efforts.