As the highest ranked player left in the draw following Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal, Alexander Zverev has got off to a strong start at the Mexican Open in Acapulco.
The world No.5 required 80 minutes to defeat America’s MacKenzie McDonald 6-3, 7-5, in his first round match. Zverev, who is yet to reach the quarter-final of a tournament this season, fired seven aces without dropping his serve once throughout the encounter. The German didn’t have it all his own way as he only managed to convert two of his ten break point opportunities.
Smooth sailing for second seed Alex Zverev.
6-3 7-5 over lucky loser McDonald in Acapulco.#AMT2018 pic.twitter.com/XXCBcZEJtp
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 28 February 2018
Awaiting the 20-year-old in the next round will be Thanasi Kokkinakis. The Australian wildcard dropped just four points behind his first serve as he eased past Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-3, in just over an hour. The main draw win is Kokkinakis’ first on the ATP World Tour this year.
Second seed Dominic Thiem suffered a scare in his opening match. Taking on British world No.113 Cameron Norrie, the Austrian battled to a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, win. Thiem had a chance to seal the victory in straight sets, but failed to serve it out whilst leading 6-3, 5-4.
“Yeah very tough match. Should have been over earlier in the second set but didn’t close it out very well,” Thiem told atpworldtour.com. “It went over three sets and ended up a pretty big drama at the end, I would say.
“I was 5-4, 30-15 and then I made some easy forehand mistakes to lose a little bit of my confidence. It shouldn’t’ happen but yeah, what can I do now? The main thing is that I won and that’s all I care about.”
Thiem is now set to take on Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in what will be their first tour meeting. Shapovalov battled his way past a lacklustre Kei Nishikori 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-1. The Japanese player is on the comeback from a wrist injury and admitted after the match that he is still yet to reach full fitness.
“I played sloppily in key situations,” said 28-year-old Nishikori. “I’m not in 100 percent condition yet. The heat didn’t help and I didn’t feel physically fit. In the third set my serves weren’t landing in and he played better in the end.”
American seeds fall
2017 champion Sam Querrey fell at the first hurdle after crashing out to Matthew Ebden 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(5). The American seventh seed struggled with his second serve as he won only 15 out of 39 points. Querrey was a break up in the deciding set, but was unable to close the match out. It is the third tournament this season where he has gone out in the first round after Auckland and Delray Beach.
Sam Querrey, the defending champ, is OUT in Acapulco R1, will drop from #11 to #19 (!) at best.
No seeds left in the top quarter.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) 27 February 2018
Another American casualty was Jack Sock, who continues to struggle on the tour. Since making his debut at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, the 25-year-old has only won one match. His latest loss was at the hands of compatriot Ernesto Escobedo, who triumph 7-5, 7-6(3). Escobedo will face Next Gen star Hyeon Chung next.
Finally. Juan Martin del Potro thrashed Mischa Zverev 6-1, 6-2, in just 61 minutes.
