Tennis: Zverev continues confidently in Rome – Hanfmann out

Tennis Zverev continues confidently in Rome – Hanfmann out

Alexander Zverev won his opening match in Rome. photo

© Manu Fernandez/AP/dpa

Alexander Zverev makes the start to the Masters tournament in Rome. Only in the second set does he have to work harder against outsider Vukic. Laura Siegemund and Yannick Hanfmann are eliminated.

Tennis professional Alexander Zverev confidently made it into the third round of the Masters 1000 tournament in Rome. The Olympic champion won his opening match against Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6:0, 6:4. The fifth-placed player in the world rankings had a bye in the first round. Zverev will now play against the Italian Luciano Darderi for a place in the round of 16.

“It was a good start, especially in the first set,” said Zverev about his successful start to the tournament. He hopes to find his clay court rhythm for the French Open this week.

Zverev initially had no trouble against outsider Vukic, number 70 in the world. The 27-year-old immediately took his opponent’s first serve game, followed by two more breaks and secured the first set after just 31 minutes. With a forehand that was unreachable for the Australian, Zverev ended the match in his favor in the hard-fought second set. After 79 minutes his progress was perfect.

Out for Hanfmann and Siegemund

So far it has been an unsatisfactory clay court season for Zverev. Germany’s top player failed in the round of 16 at the Masters tournaments in Monte Carlo and Madrid, and in the quarter-finals at the home event in Munich.

In Rome, Zverev, who was born in Hamburg, is in third place and is hoping to reach his first individual final this year. The tournament in the Italian capital is the dress rehearsal for the second Grand Slam tournament of the season, the French Open in Paris from May 26th to June 9th.

Yannick Hanfmann and Laura Siegemund, who had made it into the main field through qualification, were eliminated in the second round. The 36-year-old from Swabia lost after almost three hours to the Ukrainian Dajana Jastremska despite leading the second set 6:4, 5:7, 2:6. The 32-year-old Hanfmann from Baden had to admit defeat to Alejandro Tabilo from Chile 3:6, 6:7 (4:7).

dpa

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