Zverev off to stellar start in Hamburg

Agency :

Alexander Zverev had seven aces and won 31 of 35 first-service points as the German defeated American qualifier Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-1, 7-6 (5) in the first round of the Bitpanda Hamburg Open on Monday.

Zverev won the title in Hamburg in 2023 and advanced to the final last year before falling to Frenchman Arthur Fils. He wasn’t the only high seed in action Monday, as Russian third seed Andrey Rublev defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-3.

American seventh seed Brandon Nakashima led his first set 6-5 when Belgian opponent Raphael Collignon had to retire, while Justin Engel edged Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) in a battle between German wild cards. Other winners included Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, France’s Alexandre Muller and Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

No. 8 seed Matteo Arnaldi of Italy dropped his first set but clawed back to defeat Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-4 in first-round action in Switzerland.

Arnaldi trailed 4-2 in the second set before winning four straight games plus the first two of the third set to turn the tide. He had an 8-0 edge in aces, saved 5 of 8 break points and converted 5 of 9 break-point opportunities in the two-hour, 24-minute match.

Two other matches went the distance Monday: Japan’s Kei Nishikori defeated American Learner Tien 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, and Quentin Halys of France rallied past Spain’s Jaume Munar 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Also advancing were British qualifier Cameron Norrie, Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner, Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics and Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley.