Medvedev cruises into Almaty Open quarterfinals, Bublik advances without playing

Almaty, Oct 23 (UNI) Top seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev eased into the quarterfinals of the 2026 Almaty Open with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory over Japan's Sho Shimabukuro, while home favorite Alexander Bublik advanced without taking to the court. Medvedev, who received a first-round bye, needed little time to overcome the world No. 109, firing seven aces and winning more than 80 percent of points on his first serve to secure his place in the last eight of the ATP 250 tournament on Thursday. The Russian is seeking his second consecutive Almaty Open crown after defeating France's Corentin…