Reigning Madrid Mutua Open champion Alexander Zverev came back from one set down to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 6-4 6-4 in the second round of the Madrid ATP Madrid Mutua Open at the Caja Magica.
Zverev, who won two editions of the Madrid Mutua Open in 2018 and 2021, has won his past seven matches against Cilic after losing their first head-to-head match in Washington 2021.
Zverev made a slow start, but he hit 11 aces and hit his heavy groundstrokes in the second set.
Zverev earned the first break in the fifth game to take a 4-2 lead, but Cilic won four consecutive games with two breaks to win the first set 6-4.
Zverev earned a break in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead. Cilic saved three break points to hold serve at deuce in the fifth game.
Zverev held his final two service games after saving a total of four break points to seal the second set 6-4.
Zverev converted his second break point in the first game of the third set and held on his next service games to close out the set 6-4.
“I thought I played very well. I just lost focus in the first set, but I am happy with the win and I am happy to be through. Marin is a difficult opponent, especially with the attitude here, so I am happy with this match”, said Zverev.
Zverev set up a third round match against Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Sebastian Korda 6-4 6-3 in 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Musetti converted his second break point in the opening game. The Italian Next Gen player saved a break-back point to hold serve in a three-deuce second game to take a 2-0 lead. Musetti missed a double break point in the fifth game, before saving a break point in the sixth game to hold a 4-2 lead.
Musetti broke for the second time to take a 5-2 lead in the seventh game, but Korda won eight consecutive points to break serve at love, as Musetti was serving for the first set. Musetti hit his backhand down the line on the set point in the 10th game to close out the first set 6-4.
Musetti earned an early break in the first game of the second set and won four consecutive points to hold serve at love for 2-0. Korda called a medical time-out at the end of the third game to treat a groin injury. Musetti saved two break points in the fourth game, but Korda broke back in the sixth game to draw level to draw level to 3-3. Musetti broke for the second time in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead with a forehand down the line winner. Musetti won the final three games with two breaks to seal the third set 6-3.
Dusan Lajovic battled past Casper Ruud 7-6 (9-7) 2-6 6-4 to score consecutive main-draw wins at a tournament for the first time since Toronto last August.
Lajovic saved one set point on Ruud’s serve at 6-7 in the tie-break of the first set. Ruud broke twice in the third and fifth game to seal the second set 6-2. The third set went on serve until the 10th game when Ruud earned the decisive break to close out the match.
