@Sportshorn
Alexander Zverev needed two hours and 30 minutes to get past Richard Gasquet in the third round last night. He also needed to win a 49 shot rally to save a match point. It was a much different story on Court Central a day later as Zverev had little trouble defeating an injured Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-3 in just an hour and 13 minutes to move into the Rogers Cup quarter-finals in Montreal.
Kyrgios who started the week with a pair of easy straight set wins in Montreal, appeared to be moving gingerly from the start of the match. His left hip giving him problems throughout. It’s the same left hip that has plagued the 22 year old since just before Wimbledon. He called for the physiotherapist mid way through the opening set and then again after losing it. He could be overheard by the on court microphone saying he could feel a “sharp pain” in his hip.
Zverev broke Kyrgios in third game of the first set, the only break of the set. The Australian did have his chances to break back, six in all, but he was unable to do so.
The second set wasn’t nearly as close as the first. Kyrgios looked to be slowing down from his ailing hip. However, in true Kyrgios fashion, he did manage a few “trick” shots for the sold out crowd including a tweener and a between the legs volley which just went wide. Kyrgios dropped serve twice including the last game to love to hand Zverev, the No 4 seed a place in the quarter- finals.
“I’m happy to be through. Obviously against him, it’s not easy because he’s one of the biggest servers that we have. He plays with not a lot of rhythm,” Zverev said.
Zverev continues to play great tennis, one of the hottest players on the ATP Tour right now. After wins in Montpellier and Munich he took home the the title on the clay in Rome and lost to Federer in the Final on grass in Halle. Last week he lifted the hard court trophy in Washington .
Kyrgios had defeated Zverev in both of their previous meetings this year both in Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami.
The 20-year old who is now up to No 8 in the ATP World Rankings will now face a familiar foe in Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals on Friday night. Zverev defeated Anderson in the Citi Open Final in Washington last Sunday.
