Daniil Medvedev advanced past Hugo Gaston 7-6(7), 6-4 in the first round of the 2026 US Open, claiming a tight tiebreak in the opening set before cruising through the second on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The former champion, who won the tournament in 2021, needed just over 100 minutes to dispatch the French left-hander and begin his pursuit of a second major title at Flushing Meadows.
Medvedev entered the US Open with a 31-14 record for the year, having rebuilt his game under new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke. The 30-year-old Russian had endured a difficult 2025 season, suffering first-round exits at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open itself, but his resurgence began in earnest at the Australian Open in January 2026.
Gaston, ranked 88th in the ATP standings, came into the match with a 4-8 record for 2026 and little expectation of pulling off an upset against the higher-seeded Medvedev. The two players had met once before, when Medvedev defeated Gaston 7-6, 6-4 at the Paris Masters in November 2021—a remarkably similar scoreline to their US Open encounter.
The first set proved the most competitive, with both players holding serve until the tiebreak. Medvedev’s experience and precision on the hard courts paid off in the breaker, where he won 7 points to 6. The second set followed a more predictable pattern, with the top seed’s superior ranking and form asserting itself as Gaston struggled to maintain the intensity required to trouble his opponent.
Medvedev’s victory marked the first of what he will hope are many wins on his path back to contention at a major he has already conquered. His improved form throughout 2026 suggests the coaching changes and mental reset have yielded results, though he acknowledged before the tournament that he was simply seeking progress rather than expecting to contend for the title. The win over Gaston represents exactly that kind of progress—a professional, efficient dispatch of an opponent that sets up a second-round encounter with a stronger test ahead.
Sources
- Tennis Temple — confirmed final score and match duration
- PrizePicks — Medvedev’s 2026 record entering the US Open (31-14) and head-to-head record against Gaston (1-0)
- Inquirer Sports — Medvedev’s first-round exits at Grand Slams in 2025
- US Open Official — Medvedev’s 2021 championship and pre-tournament comments about seeking progress
- ATP Tour — Gaston’s 2026 record and current ranking
- BBC Sport — Medvedev’s 2025 struggles and 2026 resurgence beginning at Australian Open
