Alexander Zverev and his longtime doubles partner Marcelo Melo opened their campaign at the ATP tournament in Beijing on Friday with a 6:2, 7:5 victory over the German-Dutch pair Constantin Frantzen and Robin Haase, sport.de reported.
Beijing Quarterfinals Await Zverev and Melo
The straight-sets win moves Zverev and the 43-year-old Brazilian veteran Melo into the quarterfinals of the hard-court tournament in the Chinese capital. The opening match turned on the second-serve struggles of Frantzen and Haase, who surrendered 11 points out of 16 when forced to rely on their second deliveries. Zverev and Melo held serve cleanly throughout the encounter, neutralizing any pressure by not facing a single break ball.
Awaiting the pair in the next round is either the Russian duo Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev or the British partnership of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. Despite their veteran status on the ATP Tour, Zverev and Melo have only occasionally combined for doubles tournaments since they first began playing together regularly in 2023.
Melo Supports Zverev as Coach and Partner
Prior to their Beijing run, their most notable joint results included reaching the final at the Monte Carlo Masters in April 2024 and capturing their first and only shared tournament title in Acapulco in February 2026. Those highlights have also been interspersed with several opening-round exits.
The persistence of the pairing stems from a close personal and professional bond. Melo, a former world No. 1 in doubles and a two-time Grand Slam champion, also works as a member of Zverev’s coaching and support team. Zverev has frequently referred to the Brazilian as his best friend on the tour.
Melo explained the alignment of their competitive values in an interview with Bild in June. The doubles champion noted that their shared ambition to claim major titles creates a distinct dynamic compared to standard tour partnerships focused merely on breaking into the top 50 rankings. According to Melo, discussing identical aspirations at the highest level bridges the gap between singles and doubles disciplines.
Tournament Schedule and Next Opponent
Zverev and Melo will return to the court in Beijing for their quarterfinal match following the conclusion of the remaining first-round fixtures between Khachanov-Rublev and Cash-Glasspool.
Keep reading
