World no. 2 Alexander Zverev competed in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico for three weeks. Instead of reducing the gap to world no. 1 Jannik Sinner, Alexander barely gathered a couple of victories at three tournaments and stayed miles behind the Italian.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alexander's latest setback came against the 19-year-old Learnen Tien in the second round in Acapulco. A teenager ousted the Australian Open finalist 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 28 minutes for his second top-5 victory of the season.
Like in the previous two weeks, Zverev squandered the advantage and ended on the losing side. He led 4-1 in the second set before Tien rattled off five games and moved over the top in style.
The young claimed nine points more and made the difference behind the second serve. Learnen saved two of three break points and turned 41% of the return points into three breaks from six opportunities. Alexander had the upper hand in service winners and at the net.
However, he sprayed too many forehand mistakes and struggled from the baseline. Tien built a massive 48-24 advantage in that area and sealed the deal in style. They served well in the first four games of the duel before Learnen faced issues at 2-2.
ADVERTISEMENT
A teenager saved two break points and remained on the positive side after a powerful serve. The American closed the seventh game with an ace and made a push on the return in the next one. Alexander played a terrible volley and faced a break point.
He netted a smash and dropped serve, sending his rival 5-3 in front. Tien served for the set in game nine and forced an error from world no. 2 to wrap up the opener 6-3 in 34 minutes. The German placed a forehand long in the first game of the second set, facing two break points.
He saved them with winners and landed a service winner to avoid an early setback. Zverev closed the third game after deuces and welcomed a left-hander's forehand mistake in the next one for two break chances. World no. 2 landed a drop shot winner on the first and moved 3-1 in front.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alexander held at love in the fifth game after a booming serve, playing well and moving 4-1 ahead. However, that was everything we saw from him in Acapulco! Learnen held after a deuce in the sixth game and extended the next one when his rival netted a backhand.
Zverev sprayed a forehand error and faced a break point. He saved it with a fine attack before Tien earned the second with a forehand down the line winner. He caused Alexander's mistake and pulled the break back, reducing the gap to 4-3.
A teenager held in the eighth game with a service winner and locked the result at 4-4. World no. 2 played a terrible forehand on a break point in game nine, suffering the second straight break and propelling his rival 5-4 in front.
Learnen served for the win in game ten and painted a backhand down the line winner for match points. He seized the second with a forced error, sealing the deal in style and moving into the quarter-final.
