World no. 3 Alexander Zverev is off to a winning start at the ATP 500 event in Vienna. The German faced the young Austrian Joel Schwaerzler in the first round and scored a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory in 68 minutes. Thus, Alexander notched his 60th ATP win of the season, achieving that for the second time after 2018.
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Zverev's numbers against Schwaerzler
The favorite had the upper hand against the young gun on serve and return. Zverev played flawless tennis behind the first serve, winning 23 of 24 points after landing it in. World no. 3 dropped six points in his games and avoided break points, mounting the pressure on the home player. Joel could not match those numbers in his second ATP match, struggling on the second serve and giving away over half of the points in his games. Alexander generated eight break points and converted two in each set to control the scoreboard. The 2021 Vienna champion forged the advantage in the shortest and more advanced rallies, taming his strokes nicely and sailing over the top.
Alexander sprints past his rival in the opening set
Zverev took charge right from the start, winning the first set in half an hour. Schwaerzler held in the first game of the encounter with a powerful forehand and missed a massive chance to forge a 2-1 lead. An 18-year-old squandered four game points and suffered a break when his rival passed him at the net. The German held at love for a 3-1 advantage and made another push on the return in the next one. World no. 3 cracked a forehand down the line winner, breaking a left-hander at love and forging a 4-1 lead. Alexander cemented the second break with a hold at love in game six, forcing his rival to serve to stay in the set. The Austrian held after a deuce with a forehand down the line winner, reducing the deficit to 5-2. Zverev served for the opener in game eight and landed a service winner, taking it 6-2 after 31 minutes.
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Zverev plays well in set number two and seals the deal
Alexander maintained the same level in the second set and moved over the top. Joel held in the opening game before facing issues at 1-1. A teenager lost serve after a forced error, sending his rival a set and a break in front. World no. 3 grabbed the fourth game with a powerful serve and provided more good returns in the next one. The German painted a backhand down the line winner for a break at 15 and a 4-1 lead. Schwaerzler played against three match points on serve in the seventh game and denied them, holding with a service winner and extending his chances. The former champion left those opportunities behind and fired a forehand winner on serve at 5-2, moving over the top and notching his 60th ATP win of the season.
Qualifier Jakub Mensik downs Alexei Popyrin
The young Czech qualified Jakub Mensik for the main draw and joined Zverev in the second round. Jakub faced Alexei Popyrin in the first round and scored a 7-6, 6-2 win in an hour and 42 minutes. A teenager denied all five break points and kept the pressure on the better-ranked opponent. The Aussie fought well in the opener, fending off a set point in the 12th game before losing the tie break 7-3. Mensik gained a boost and provided two early breaks in the second set. He saved break points in games four and six and sealed the deal with a fine hold at 5-2, earning his 24th ATP win of the season and moving closer to a place in the top-50.
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Matteo Berrettini seeks his first Vienna Open final
The 2019 Vienna semi-finalist, Matteo Berrettini, ousted Marton Fucsovics 7-5, 6-4 in an hour and 47 minutes. The Italian made a difference with his first serve, facing no break points and challenging his rival to follow that pace to remain competitive. The Hungarian served at only 56%, playing against four break points and losing serve once in each set to end his campaign in the opening round. Nothing separated two hard hitters in the first ten games of the encounter, as they locked the result at 5-5. Matteo clinched a decisive break in the 11th game, rattling off three games and claiming the opener 6-4. The better-ranked player served well in the second set and pushed on the return in the middle games. Fucsovics saved two break points at 2-2 before experiencing a break at love two games later, falling a set and a break behind. Berrettini held after a deuce in game eight for 5-3 and emerged over the top with a hold in game ten.
