<p class="title">India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran got a taste of high-level tennis in his first-round exit from the US Open, losing to world number five Daniil Medvedev in straight sets here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The gulf between Prajnesh and top-10 players were wide and apparent as he lost 4-6 1-6 2–6 to the Russian, who recently vanquished multiple Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian left-hander began aggressively but could not maintain intensity after losing the well-fought first set at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The pressure-induced unending unforced errors from Prajnesh, who was trying too hard.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had the heart to fight but lacked experience of playing at this level against the best in business.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nevertheless, the 29-year-old from Chennai competed in all Grand Slams this season, though he is yet to win a round in the singles main draw.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Long rallies featured from the word go, though, Prajnesh took some time to find his range.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian dropped his serve in the very first game of the match but broke back Medvedev in the fourth with a crushing inside-out forehand winner after serving at love.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Russian broke back immediately when he placed a cross-court forehand from baseline in the open court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was a dogfight but Medvedev nosed ahead again with another break of serve and consolidated it with a hold.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh mixed it up nicely by striking hard from the baseline with his free-flowing forehand and played some deft drop shots to set up points.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh’s body language was aggressive while Medvedev largely remained calm as the Russian served big and his solid returns in long rallies helped him take those extra points.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Unforced errors from Prajnesh when Medvedev served for the opening set made easy the job of the Russian.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh began the second set with double faults and a forehand error at 30-all put him down by a breakpoint, which Medvedev converted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">From here it became one-way traffic as unforced errors from Prajnesh continued to pile and soon he was down 0-3 with a double break.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He finally got on the board in the fifth game but was now trailing 1-4. The second set was over in no time with more and more errors coming off the Indian's racquet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev took a medical timeout immediately after the second set to treat his left thigh but did not let Prajnesh take any advantage. He played smartly by making the points short.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh only helped his rival's cause by not curtailing errors. He had lost steam and was going all out but the balls just flew over the lines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev had no trouble in closing the match in his favour after one hour and 24 minutes.</p>
<p class="title">India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran got a taste of high-level tennis in his first-round exit from the US Open, losing to world number five Daniil Medvedev in straight sets here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The gulf between Prajnesh and top-10 players were wide and apparent as he lost 4-6 1-6 2–6 to the Russian, who recently vanquished multiple Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian left-hander began aggressively but could not maintain intensity after losing the well-fought first set at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The pressure-induced unending unforced errors from Prajnesh, who was trying too hard.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had the heart to fight but lacked experience of playing at this level against the best in business.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nevertheless, the 29-year-old from Chennai competed in all Grand Slams this season, though he is yet to win a round in the singles main draw.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Long rallies featured from the word go, though, Prajnesh took some time to find his range.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian dropped his serve in the very first game of the match but broke back Medvedev in the fourth with a crushing inside-out forehand winner after serving at love.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Russian broke back immediately when he placed a cross-court forehand from baseline in the open court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was a dogfight but Medvedev nosed ahead again with another break of serve and consolidated it with a hold.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh mixed it up nicely by striking hard from the baseline with his free-flowing forehand and played some deft drop shots to set up points.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh’s body language was aggressive while Medvedev largely remained calm as the Russian served big and his solid returns in long rallies helped him take those extra points.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Unforced errors from Prajnesh when Medvedev served for the opening set made easy the job of the Russian.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh began the second set with double faults and a forehand error at 30-all put him down by a breakpoint, which Medvedev converted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">From here it became one-way traffic as unforced errors from Prajnesh continued to pile and soon he was down 0-3 with a double break.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He finally got on the board in the fifth game but was now trailing 1-4. The second set was over in no time with more and more errors coming off the Indian's racquet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev took a medical timeout immediately after the second set to treat his left thigh but did not let Prajnesh take any advantage. He played smartly by making the points short.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prajnesh only helped his rival's cause by not curtailing errors. He had lost steam and was going all out but the balls just flew over the lines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev had no trouble in closing the match in his favour after one hour and 24 minutes.</p>