Alexander Zverev is off to a great start in Melbourne. The German reached the Australian Open third round without losing a set, keeping his energy ahead of more challenging rivals. Alexander faced Pedro Martinez in the second round.
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World no. 2 earned a 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 victory in an hour and 54 minutes, dominating sets one and three and sealing the deal without spending too much time on the court. Zverev dropped 20 points in his games and denied all six break points.
Martinez felt the pressure and cracked under it. Alexander hit 34 winners and 22 unforced errors, and Pedro failed to follow that pace. The Spaniard lost almost half of the points in his games. He played against 13 break points and suffered six breaks.
They split the 24 most extended exchanges. Zverev dominated the shortest and mid-range ones, leaving the lower-ranked rival far behind and sailing over the top. World no. 2 closed the opening game of the duel with a forced error after a deuce.
He painted a backhand down the line winner in the next one for three break points. Last year's semi-finalist seized the second after drawing an error from his rival and moved 2-0 in front. Martinez denied two break points in the fourth game and got his name to the scoreboard.
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The Spaniard made a push on the return in the fifth game and generated four break points. The German saved them with fine hitting and caused an error from the other side for a hold and 4-1. The favorite painted a forehand crosscourt winner in the sixth game for three break points.
Alexander converted the first with a sharp return, delivering a break at love and opening a 5-1 gap. World no. 2 punched a forehand winner in game seven, wrapping up the opener 6-1 in 35 minutes. Zverev denied two break points at the start of the second set and faced no more issues in his games.
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He squandered three break points in the next one and made another push at 2-2. Alexander landed a deep return and drew Pedro's forehand mistake, earning a break and moving in front. Zverev cemented the break with a hold at love in game six.
World no. 2 landed a drop shot winner two games later for 5-3 and served for the set at 5-4. The German opened the court and placed a forehand down the line winner for two set points. He fired an unreturned serve on the second for 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 27 minutes.
Zverev was the only player on the court in the third set, serving well and pressuring his opponent. Alexander broke at 15 in the first game and landed an ace in the next one for a hold at love and a 2-0 lead. The German mirrored that two games later for 3-1.
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Pedro missed a forehand in the fifth game losing serve again and falling 4-1 behind. The favorite made another push on the return at 5-1 and landed a volley winner at the net for two match points. Martinez played a wild forehand on the first, propelling his rival over the top.
Zverev will face the young Briton Jacob Fearnley in the third round, in what should be an entertaining duel.