Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to regaining the world No.1 with a routine win over Pedro Martinez in the third round of the Miami Open.
World No.2 Medvedev followed up his win over Andy Murray in the previous round with a 6-3 6-4 victory over world No.47 Martinez.
Medvedev will move above Novak Djokovic at the top of the world rankings if he reaches the semi-finals of the Miami Open. He faces Jenson Brooksby in the last 16 after he upset 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in three sets.
Medvedev took over from Djokovic as world No.1 earlier this month but slipped back to No.2 after losing his first match at Indian Wells to Gael Monfils.
He has looked in solid form so far at the Miami Open with two straight-set victories.
He rarely looked troubled in his second career meeting with Martinez, helped by making 71 per cent of his first serves.
Medvedev spurned three break-point chances in Martinez’s first service game, but broke to lead 5-3 and then closed out the set.
The match looked to be slipping away from Martinez as he lost serve again early in the second set when he volleyed into the net.
However, he broke back immediately as Medvedev double faulted on deuce and then netted with a routine forehand.
Medvedev soon regained the upper hand and closed out the match with a love hold.
It looked as though Medvedev would be facing Bautista Agut in the next round when he came off court as the Spaniard was in control in the third set against Brooksby.
However, the American rallied from 4-0 down in remarkable fashion, reeling off six games in a row to win 6-3 5-7 6-4.
It will be the first meeting between Brooksby and Medvedev.
Defending champion Hubert Hurkacz fired down 24 aces as he beat Aslan Karatsev 7-5 4-6 6-3 while Carlos Alcaraz won 6-4 6-4 against Marin Cilic.
