Medvedev, Thiem Learn Mallorca Draw Fate
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will begin the Mallorca Championships against either Lloyd Harris or Corentin Moutet after the Russian received a first-round bye at the new ATP 250 grass-court event.
The 25-year-old, who is currently No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, could face fifth seed Dane Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals with the Dane opening against Frenchman Gilles Simon. Medvedev has won 10 ATP Tour titles but none of them have come on grass. The Russian reached the semi-finals at the cinch Championships (l. to Simon) in 2019 and has a 28-15 career record on the surface.
Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta is also in the top half of the draw, with the home favourite playing Jiri Vesely or Salvatore Caruso in the second round. He is seeded to meet Medvedev in the semi-finals of the 28-player draw.
In the bottom half, second-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem could play Jan Lennard Struff in the second round. The German, who recently beat Medvedev at the NOVENTI OPEN, begins against Adrian Mannarino.
Thiem is playing his first grass-court event since Wimbledon in 2019 here in Spain and may play eighth seed Karan Khachanov in the quarter-finals, with the Russian opening against a qualifier.
Third seed Roberto Bautista Agut will be flying the home flag for Spain alongside Carreno Busta and will face Stefano Travaglia or Guido Pella in the second round. The 33-year-old enjoyed a run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2019 (l. to Djokovic) and is a potential last four opponent for Thiem.
Elsewhere, seventh-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert will look to continue his strong grass-court form against Miomir Kecmanovic while Feliciano Lopez, who has won four of his seven ATP Tour titles on grass, meeting a qualifier.