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Alexander Zverev: Wolałbym, żeby US Open się nie odbyło
Spoiler:
Siódma rakieta świata Alexander Zverev uważa, że rozegranie wielkoszlemowego US Open w obecnych warunkach jest szaleństwem, ale na razie nie chce się z niego wycofywać. "Wolałbym jednak, żeby ten turniej się nie odbył" - powiedział niemiecki tenisista.
WTA w Palermo: Jedna z tenisistek zakażona koronawirusem
WTA w Palermo: Jedna z tenisistek zakażona koronawirusem
Jego zdaniem należałoby najpierw wznowić sezon w Europie, zanim zawodnicy mieliby lecieć za ocean, gdzie obecnie jest najwięcej zakażeń koronawirusem. To właśnie przez pandemię tenisowy sezon został w marcu zawieszony i dopiero teraz w drugiej połowie sierpnia zostanie wznowiony.
US Open w Nowym Jorku ma się rozpocząć 31 sierpnia. Wielu zawodników zapowiedziało jednak wycofanie się z imprezy - właśnie ze względów bezpieczeństwa. Dziennie w Stanach Zjednoczonych notuje się ok. 60 tys. nowych zakażeń.
Zobacz także: Kyrgios nie zagra w US Open
"To nie jest dobry czas, by lecieć do USA. Ale jeśli organizatorzy podejmą decyzję o rozegraniu turnieju, to co my zawodnicy mamy zrobić? Tym bardziej, jeśli rywale się zgodzą na przyjazd. Tu chodzi też o punkty rankingowe" - podkreślił 23-letni zawodnik i dodał, że na razie sam nie myśli o rezygnacji z udziału.
On sam ma nadzieję, że wszyscy będą przestrzegać restrykcyjnych zasad i nie będą przemieszczać się po mieście. "To wtedy może jakoś to będzie..." - powiedział.
Jego zdaniem największym utrudnieniem jest przepis, że z zawodnikiem na obiekt może wejść tylko jedna osoba towarzysząca.
Tenis. Alexander Zverev nie chce rozmawiać o Adria Tour. US Open? "Trudno trzymać wszystkich w klatce"
Spoiler:
Alexander Zverev unika pytań odnośnie wydarzeń, do których doszło podczas cyklu Adria Tour. Niemiecki tenisista opowiedział za to o współpracy z Davidem Ferrerem i swoich odczuciach związanych z organizacją US Open 2020 w dobie pandemii COVID-19.
Rafał Smoliński
Rafał Smoliński
02 Sierpnia 2020, 17:38
Alexander Zverev
PAP/EPA / ROMAN PILIPEY / Na zdjęciu: Alexander Zverev
Tenis. Nick Kyrgios nie zagra w US Open. Znów skrytykował kortowych rywali
Ostatnie tygodnie były bardzo trudne dla Alexandra Zvereva. Najpierw 23-latek został mocno skrytykowany za nieodpowiedzialne zachowanie podczas Adria Tour. W Belgradzie Niemiec dobrze bawił się w jednym z klubów mimo pandemii COVID-19, a następnie został przyłapany na łamaniu zasad izolacji. Potem postanowił wycofać z pokazowego turnieju w Berlinie, aby spokojnie potrenować w Monte Carlo.
Zverev nie chce już wracać do wydarzeń z Adria Tour, ani opowiadać o swoim życiu w czasach koronawirusa SARS-CoV-2. Gdy podczas wideokonferencji w Nicei, gdzie uczestniczy w drugiej edycji Ultimate Tennis Showdown, usłyszał takie pytanie, to wyłączył kamerę. Do dziennikarzy skierował jedynie symboliczne "do jutra".
Zanim jednak Zverev zakończył spotkanie, dowiedziano się od niego wielu ciekawych rzeczy. Przede wszystkim Niemiec potwierdził, że co najmniej do końca 2020 roku będzie współpracował z Davidem Ferrerem. Hiszpan był w lipcu jego trenerem na dwutygodniowy okres próbny. - David i mój ojciec są teraz moimi głównymi trenerami. Obaj są niezwykle ważni w sztabie - wyznał reprezentant naszych zachodnich sąsiadów, cytowany przez portal tennismagazin.de.
Pierwszym celem nowego zespołu jest wielkoszlemowy US Open 2020, który pod rygorem sanitarnym odbędzie się w dniach 31 sierpnia -13 września w Nowym Jorku. - Wszyscy gracze muszą jakoś się tam dostać. Wiem na przykład, że Rosja i Brazylia są całkowicie zamknięte. To trudna rzecz - stwierdził siódmy obecnie tenisista świata.
Zverev uważa, że organizacja wielkoszlemowego turnieju wygląda teraz na dosyć szaloną. Stara się jednak myśleć pozytywnie. - Jeśli będziemy przestrzegać zasad w Nowym Jorku, to może się udać. Będziemy w "bańce" tak jak w NBA, czyli tylko w hotelu lub na korcie - powiedział. Niemiec ma świadomość, że organizatorów i tenisistów czeka niełatwe zadanie. - Mamy 600 zawodników. Trudno jest trzymać wszystkich graczy w klatce. Nie sądzę, żeby wszyscy się do tego dostosowali - zakończył.
Tenis. Anastazja Pawluczenkowa i Alexander Zverev zwycięzcami drugiej edycji Ultimate Tennis Showdown
Spoiler:
Rosjanka Anastazja Pawluczenkowa i Niemiec Alexander Zverev wygrali Ultimate Tennis Showdown. To druga edycja pokazowych zawodów, których organizatorem jest akademia Patricka Mouratoglou w Nicei.
Rafał Smoliński
Rafał Smoliński
02 Sierpnia 2020, 23:52
Alexander Zverev
PAP/EPA / DAVE HUNT / Na zdjęciu: Alexander Zverev
Tenis. Alexander Zverev nie chce rozmawiać o Adria Tour. US Open? "Trudno trzymać wszystkich w klatce"
Po zakończeniu pierwszej edycji UTS Patrick Mouratoglou chwalił się dobrymi wynikami oglądalności i zapowiedział, że jeszcze przed US Open 2020 odbędzie się kolejny turniej. Tym razem tenisiści nie rywalizowali na przestrzeni pięciu weekendów, ale wszystko rozstrzygnęło się w ciągu dziewięciu dni. Ma to związek ze zbliżającym się wznowieniem rozgrywek na zawodowych kortach.
Najwyżej rozstawieni w Nicei Alexander Zverev i Felix Auger-Aliassime zostali od razu zakwalifikowani do półfinału. Dołączyli do nich triumfatorzy czteroosobowych grup, a zostali nimi Francuzi Richard Gasquet i Corentin Moutet. Nie zmieniła się sama formuła rozgrywania pojedynków. Mecze składały się z czterech 10-minutowych kwart, których zwycięzcą zostawał gracz z największą liczbą punktów. W przypadku remisu po 2 decydowała dogrywka - tzw. nagła śmierć, w której wystarczyło wygrać dwa punkty z rzędu.
Właśnie dogrywka zdecydowała o wyniku niedzielnego finału, w którym spotkali się Zverev i Auger-Aliassime. Wcześniej Niemiec pokonał w półfinale Mouteta 3:1, a Kanadyjczyk okazał się lepszy od Gasqueta 3:1. W decydującym pojedynku Auger-Aliassime prowadził już 2:1, ale reprezentant naszych zachodnich sąsiadów doprowadził do wyrównania. W dogrywce Kanadyjczyk nie wykorzystał piłki meczowej. Skuteczny był za to Zverev, który wygrał ostatecznie 3:2 (19:10, 11:13, 10:17, 18:8, 2:1).
W Nicei po raz pierwszy zagrały panie. W sobotnim półfinale Anastazja Pawluczenkowa pokonała 3:0 Tunezyjkę Ons Jabeur, a Alize Cornet nie dała żadnych szans zaledwie 13-letniej Czeszce Brendzie Fruhvirtovej. Niedzielny finał lepiej zaczęła Rosjanka, która prowadziła 2:0. Francuzka jednak wygrała dwie kolejne kwarty i o zwycięstwie zdecydowała dogrywka. Ta padła łupem moskwianki, która triumfowała ostatecznie 3:2 (16:8, 12:11, 11:14, 9:16, 3:1).
Brotherly Love: When Sascha Beat Mischa In All-Zverev Battle
Spoiler:
Alexander Zverev to face winner of Nishikori and Shapovalov
Editor's Note: ATPTour.com is resurfacing features to bring fans closer to their favourite players and tournaments during the current suspension in tournament play. This story was originally published on 2 August 2018.
It took 539 tour-level main draw matches for brothers Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev to finally meet on the ATP Tour. So when the brothers posed for a picture after the coin flip at the 2018 Citi Open, the emotions of the moment truly set in.
"We walked back, and the crowd was cheering, I almost had tears in my eyes," Mischa told Tennis Channel. "I was like, 'This feels so special. I wonder what my parents are thinking right now?' I needed a few seconds to actually bite my tongue and focus. To me, that was incredibly special."
Once the match got going, it was ‘Sascha Zverev', as chair umpire Mohamed Fitouhi referred to him during the match, who beat his older brother 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals in Washington, D.C. in the first tour-level meeting between brothers since the 2016 Generali Open, where Gerald Melzer beat Jurgen Melzer.
The Zverev brothers had met on two previous occasions at the professional level — in qualifying of an ATP Challenger Tour event in Dallas six years ago and in qualifying of the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. But it was the 21-year-old Zverev who clinched their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting after one hour, 51 minutes.
"[It was] very special. As Mischa said, who can say you played your brother in one of the biggest tournaments in the world?" Sascha said. "It was unbelievably special. I hope this is not the last time. I hope we play a final one day or something like that. So hopefully [this was] the first of many."
And while the stats show that Sascha saved two of three break points he faced while breaking his older brother three times, the memory they will retain came after Mischa sprinted forward and hit a drop shot into the net on match point. The brothers made a lengthy embrace on Sascha's side of the court.
Sascha, the top seed, is the reigning champion in Washington, D.C. He is also the defending titlist at the Rogers Cup, which means he is defending a massive 1,500 ATP Rankings points between this week and next. Zverev is at a career-high World No. 3, and he has done well to back up his breakthrough five-title 2017. The 21-year-old clinched his third ATP Masters 1000 triumph at the Mutua Madrid Open, and also reached the final at the Miami Open presented by Itau and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.
Nishikori
Zverev will next face seventh seed Kei Nishikori, who defeated ninth seed Denis Shapovalov 7-6(1), 6-3. The Canadian had won their only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting earlier this year on the hard courts of Acapulco, but the Japanese star evened their series with more consistent play from the baseline throughout the match.
Nishikori is into his fifth tour-level quarter-final of the season, as he continues his comeback from a right wrist injury. The 2015 Washington, D.C. champion's clash against Zverev will be a rematch of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semi-finals, which Nishikori won in three sets to become the first Japanese player to reach the final of the event. The pair also played in the Citi Open semi-finals one year ago, with the German coming out on top.
"I've got to do something better," Nishikori said. "I'll try to do my best, and see what happens."
Did You Know?
The Zverev brothers were opponents for just a moment. Later the same evening, they completed their rain-delayed first-round doubles match, ousting top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
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Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev embrace after their first tour-level meeting on Thursday at the CIti Open in Washington, D.C.
Brotherly Love: When Sascha Beat Mischa In All-Zverev Battle
Aug092020
ATP Staff
Alexander Zverev to face winner of Nishikori and Shapovalov
Editor's Note: ATPTour.com is resurfacing features to bring fans closer to their favourite players and tournaments during the current suspension in tournament play. This story was originally published on 2 August 2018.
It took 539 tour-level main draw matches for brothers Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev to finally meet on the ATP Tour. So when the brothers posed for a picture after the coin flip at the 2018 Citi Open, the emotions of the moment truly set in.
"We walked back, and the crowd was cheering, I almost had tears in my eyes," Mischa told Tennis Channel. "I was like, 'This feels so special. I wonder what my parents are thinking right now?' I needed a few seconds to actually bite my tongue and focus. To me, that was incredibly special."
Once the match got going, it was ‘Sascha Zverev', as chair umpire Mohamed Fitouhi referred to him during the match, who beat his older brother 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals in Washington, D.C. in the first tour-level meeting between brothers since the 2016 Generali Open, where Gerald Melzer beat Jurgen Melzer.
The Zverev brothers had met on two previous occasions at the professional level — in qualifying of an ATP Challenger Tour event in Dallas six years ago and in qualifying of the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. But it was the 21-year-old Zverev who clinched their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting after one hour, 51 minutes.
"[It was] very special. As Mischa said, who can say you played your brother in one of the biggest tournaments in the world?" Sascha said. "It was unbelievably special. I hope this is not the last time. I hope we play a final one day or something like that. So hopefully [this was] the first of many."
And while the stats show that Sascha saved two of three break points he faced while breaking his older brother three times, the memory they will retain came after Mischa sprinted forward and hit a drop shot into the net on match point. The brothers made a lengthy embrace on Sascha's side of the court.
Sascha, the top seed, is the reigning champion in Washington, D.C. He is also the defending titlist at the Rogers Cup, which means he is defending a massive 1,500 ATP Rankings points between this week and next. Zverev is at a career-high World No. 3, and he has done well to back up his breakthrough five-title 2017. The 21-year-old clinched his third ATP Masters 1000 triumph at the Mutua Madrid Open, and also reached the final at the Miami Open presented by Itau and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.
Nishikori
Zverev will next face seventh seed Kei Nishikori, who defeated ninth seed Denis Shapovalov 7-6(1), 6-3. The Canadian had won their only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting earlier this year on the hard courts of Acapulco, but the Japanese star evened their series with more consistent play from the baseline throughout the match.
Nishikori is into his fifth tour-level quarter-final of the season, as he continues his comeback from a right wrist injury. The 2015 Washington, D.C. champion's clash against Zverev will be a rematch of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semi-finals, which Nishikori won in three sets to become the first Japanese player to reach the final of the event. The pair also played in the Citi Open semi-finals one year ago, with the German coming out on top.
"I've got to do something better," Nishikori said. "I'll try to do my best, and see what happens."
Did You Know?
The Zverev brothers were opponents for just a moment. Later the same evening, they completed their rain-delayed first-round doubles match, ousting top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
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Thiem, Zverev, Berrettini Headline Stellar Kitzbühel Entry List
Spoiler:
17 players within Top 31 of FedEx ATP Rankings
Three Top 10 stars — defending champion Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini — headline a stellar entry list for the 2020 Generali Open, which is scheduled to take place in Kitzbühel between 8-13 September.
Thiem, who ended the home crowd's 26-year wait for a first Austrian champion since 1993 winner Thomas Muster in 2019, is among 10 players in the Top 20 of the FedEx ATP Rankings on the entry list.
Fabio Fognini, Roberto Bautista Agut, Diego Schwartzman, Andrey Rublev, Denis Shapovalov, Cristian Garin and Felix Auger-Aliassime are also set to play at the ATP 250 level tournament, to be held during the second week of the US Open (31 August-13 September). The entry cut-off for Kitzbühel is at No. 31 (Kei Nishikori).
To be eligible to compete in the 28-player Kitzbühel singles main draw, Top 10 players (as of 3 August 2020) must have competed and lost at the US Open — singles or doubles — by the start of the qualifying competition or by 7 September, whichever is earlier. All other players who are still playing at the Grand Slam championship will be withdrawn at this deadline. The doubles field will include 16 teams.
The ATP Tour is set to resume on 20 August with the Western & Southern Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event which, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has moved from Cincinnati to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Kitzbühel Main Draw Singles Entry List
No. 3 Dominic Thiem (AUT)
No. 7 Alexander Zverev (GER)
No. 8 Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
No. 11 Fabio Fognini (ITA)
No. 12 Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
No. 13 Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
No. 14 Andrey Rublev (RUS)
No. 16 Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
No. 18 Cristian Garin (CHI)
No. 20 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
No. 23 Dusan Lajovic (SRB)
No. 24 Taylor Fritz (USA)
No. 25 Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
No. 26 Alex de Minaur (AUS)
No. 27 Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
No. 29 Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
No. 31 Kei Nishikori (JPN)
World No. 7 discusses coaching relationship, ATP Tour return
During the suspension of the ATP Tour, Alexander Zverev added a familiar face to his coaching set-up: former World No. 3 David Ferrer.
The 23-year-old spent over a month alongside the Spaniard in Monaco, working on his game as Ferrer adjusted to life as a coach, just one year after retiring from the sport at the 2019 Mutua Madrid Open.
“He is exactly how he was on court. He is like that as a coach. I can’t ask for more,” said Zverev. “He was known as the biggest fighter, the biggest competitor in the world… He is overachieving every single expectation I had of him as a coach. It is amazing.”
Despite Zverev and Ferrer’s different approaches to the game, the German has bonded well with Ferrer in the early stages of their relationship. Ferrer will not be present at the Western & Southern Open or the US Open, but will join Zverev for events in Europe.
“[Working with Ferrer] is great. Honestly, I have to say for me, that partnership so far is one of the best partnerships I have had,” said Zverev. “Our personalities are extremely similar, which you wouldn’t think because of our game styles and how we are on court.
“We get along super well and during the European swing he is going to be there. Unfortunately, he couldn’t come here but I am excited for what is ahead for us.”
One of the reasons Ferrer could prove to be an inspired choice for Zverev is his knowledge of current players on the ATP Tour, including Zverev. The pair contested eight ATP Head2Head encounters, with Zverev earning a fifth win against the 2013 Roland Garros runner-up in Ferrer’s final match as a professional in Madrid.
“We played a bunch of times. We played eight times in our careers, so he knows exactly what I need to improve from a player’s perspective,” said Zverev. “He knows how to play me. He knows what to do to beat me and to have chances against me.”
Ferrer has been meticulous in his plans to improve Zverev’s game. In fact, the 27-time tour-level champion has been analysing Zverev’s past performances on YouTube and bringing a detailed notepad to practice sessions.
“He came immediately with a notebook and said, ‘Okay, this, this, this and that’. He is extremely organised,” said Zverev. “We would practise together and if he sees after two hours of practice that I am not doing this or that well, he would go on YouTube and be spending time looking at videos from two or three years ago [to see] what I was doing better back then, what I am doing better now, how I improved and how my body developed.
“He is doing all sorts of things to just really improve my game and that is something very special. He just quit a year ago in Madrid and he is so into it already. I have enjoyed it and I have loved every second of it so far.”
The Tour suspension has given Zverev time to not only build a new coaching relationship, but also to appreciate life as an ATP Tour player. The World No. 7 has missed the unique feeling of competition and success since his most recent tournament appearance at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in February.
“I started to realise how much I miss tennis. How much I miss the emotions of playing in front of 20,000 people,” said Zverev. “How much I miss the emotions of competing and winning a big match that is important for me. How much I just miss being out there. The emotions and feelings you get on a tennis court, you don’t get them anywhere else… The emotions of winning a big match. The emotions of holding up a big trophy. That is something you don’t get anywhere else.”
You May Also Like: Murray Faces Tough Return At W&S Open
Ahead of his return to action at the Western & Southern Open, Zverev took a moment to praise tournament organisers for their hard work to stage the event during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s edition of the ATP Masters 1000 event is being held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, ahead of the US Open which begins on 31 August.
“I think they have done a fantastic job when it comes to accommodation, when it comes to just making the players feel well in the circumstances,” said Zverev. “They built all sorts of little things. A mini golf course, they built basketball hoops all over the place, all sorts of little things… This event is special because we don’t know if we will ever get an opportunity like this again. Obviously we don’t want to, because we want the world to go back to normal again but this is a very special event for us.”
After reaching his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January, Zverev felt that he had returned to his best level after struggling with his game during the 2019 ATP Tour season. The 23-year-old will now look to build on his 6-5 start to the year in his return match against two-time Western & Southern Open champion Andy Murray or Frances Tiafoe.
“I feel like I am competitive again in the biggest tournaments,” said Zverev. “I showed that in Australia. When I arrived in Indian Wells before the tournament got cancelled, I felt like I was ready… We’ll see how everything goes now with the comeback, but I hope I can continue the form I had at the beginning of the year and maybe get even better.”
Alexander Zverev has contested numerous five-set battles in the opening rounds of Grand Slam events, but the World No. 7 avoided such an opening to his US Open campaign with an impressive win on Monday.
The fifth seed faced a serious challenge against 2017 runner-up Kevin Anderson on Arthur Ashe Stadium and he rose to the occasion, recording a 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 victory after three hours and seven minutes. It was Zverev’s first victory since the resumption of the ATP Tour, having lost his opening match at the Western & Southern Open to former World No. 1 Andy Murray.
”I am actually quite happy with a first round like that,” said Zverev. “Kevin is not someone you usually play in a first round. This is a fourth round, quarter-final, semi-final match normally against him. I am extremely happy to be through.”
Zverev brothers
After the match, Zverev celebrated the win by having a quick video conversation with brother Mischa Zverev via an LED board behind his seat. With player entourages strictly limited this year due to COVID-19, the USTA is providing players with the opportunity to interact in real time.
Mischa told his younger brother, "Not bad. Well done."
"For a first round, it was okay," Alexander replied.
"I am sitting on my couch watching tennis. This is very relaxing for me. I could get used to this," the older Zverev joked.
Alexander added: "I'll be sitting in my suite for the next two matches as well. That is actually kind of cool as well. It is actually much nicer having you here than you sitting on a couch and seeing you through a screen, but what can I do?"
Zverev is one of the leading contenders to capture his first major title at this event. Only three Grand Slam champions are competing in the main draw in New York: 17-time major titlist Novak Djokovic, three-time Grand Slam winner Murray and 2014 champion Marin Cilic. In his most recent major appearance, Zverev reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at this year’s Australian Open.
You May Also Like: After 58 Break Points, Norrie Saves 2 M.P. To Stun Schwartzman
Zverev improves to 6-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against Anderson, who underwent right knee surgery on 19 February. The German will next face #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima, who defeated Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(3), for a spot in the third round.
After splitting a competitive opening two sets, Zverev won five straight points on his opponent’s serve to break for a 3-1 third-set lead. The German used his forehand to push Anderson behind the baseline and moved up the court to clinch the break with a delicate backhand drop volley. The 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion, who won five of six net points in set three, held to love at 5-3 to move one set from victory.
”[My volley] is something that I worked on in these six months,” said Zverev. “It was my serve, my volleys that I worked on. In the [Western & Southern Open] match, I thought I did those two things well until the really important moments and I wanted to do it differently to finish off the match today.”
In a fourth set dominated by serve, Zverev converted the only break point of the set at 5-5. The 11-time tour-level titlist capitalised on multiple errors from Anderson to serve for the match and held to love to improve to 8-5 at the major championship.
Alexander Zverev was rewarded for his patience on Wednesday afternoon, after an indifferent service performance that Brandon Nakashima capitalised on to keep their second-round US Open encounter far from routine.
Fifth seed Zverev took his time to break down the aggressive baseline game of World No. 223 Nakashima in a 7-5, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-1 victory over two hours and 55 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium at Flushing Meadows.
While Zverev was successful on first serve — winning 88 per cent, 82 per cent and 84 per cent in the first three sets, respectively — he struggled on second delivery, dropping to as low as 11 per cent of second-service points won in the second set. When Zverev, who hit 25 aces and 10 double faults in total, found his rhythm, he regained control to move onto a clash against No. 32 seed Adrian Mannarino.
Last week, 23-year-old Zverev lost in a tough first-round encounter against former World No. 1 Andy Murray at the Western & Southern Open, as the ATP Tour returned after a five-month suspension. Twelve months ago, Zverev advanced to the US Open fourth round (l. to Schwartzman).
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Zverev, who could not convert three break points in the fifth game, finally broke through at 5-5, when he won five straight points after Nakashima had led 40/0. Zverev then closed out the 53-minute first set, finishing with an unreturned first serve.
Nakashima bounced back, trading groundstroke blows with Zverev and, with a 5-4 lead, held two consecutive sets points as the German’s first serve faltered. Both times, with sight of an open court, Nakashima over-hit groundstrokes.
Consistent stroke depth in the tie-break helped Nakashima to a 5/0 advantage. Zverev recovered from 3/6 down, in a run that included an outstanding backhand pass on the third set point. Zverev saved a fourth set point at 6/7 with an ace down the middle, but was powerless on his own set point chance at 8/7 when Nakashima ripped a backhand winner down the line. Nakashima’s persistence was rewarded on his seventh set point, which resulted in Zverev hitting a ninth double fault.
Better movement from Zverev, coupled with strong ball-striking on his forehand wing, helped the German to a 3-1 advantage in the third set, when Nakashima double faulted for a third time. The single break proved to be enough and Zverev carried the momentum into the fourth set, which he commanded.
Later in the day, Mannarino defeated former World No. 8 Jack Sock 7-6(5), 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and 25 minutes.
Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina extended his stay in New York by knocking out No. 24 seed Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 for a place in the third round of a Grand Slam championship for the first time. He awaits the winner of Cameron Norrie and Federico Coria.
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