WHAT HAPPENED: 2020 US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev kicked off his ninth US Open main draw exuding the strut of a player who expects to be around well into the second week. But his first-round encounter with compatriot Maximilian Marterer was no walk in the park.
The 27-year-old was forced to labor in the New York humidity before he finally marched off with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 victory to book his spot in the US Open’s second round for the eighth time.
“Made it complicated for myself at times,” Zverev admitted to reporters in his post-match press conference.
Fans who filtered into the Grandstand on a sun-drenched Monday afternoon didn’t witness Zverev at his most imposing, but the German’s 23rd career victory at Flushing Meadows in balmy heat should help him get comfortable with the muggy conditions that will be in play for most of the fortnight in Queens.
Fourth-seeded Zverev was quick to exploit his power advantage over the 100th-ranked lucky loser and wrapped up an uncomplicated opening set in 32 minutes. But the Hamburg native took his foot off the gas in a 66-minute second set that saw him commit 12 unforced errors, including two untimely double-faults in the tiebreak that allowed Marterer to draw level at a set apiece.
Wake-up call received, Zverev snapped back into form in the third set and pulled away from Marterer, finishing the match with a snarl as he swept through 12 of the final 17 games, including the final five on the trot.
“I'm not usually the type of player that plays extremely well in first-round matches,” Zverev concluded. “Getting through is the most important thing.
“I know that I have good tennis in me, and it's about showing that on the match court… I think my performance will improve over the next few matches.”
WHAT IT MEANS: The victory is the first step of what Zverev hopes will be a productive two weeks in New York City. He will face either French wild card Alexandre Muller or Australia’s Adam Walton in the second round. After that it could be Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, the No. 29 seed, in the third round.
All winnable contests for the two-time major finalist, who is in a favorable section of the lower half of the men's singles draw, but to gain consideration as a potential threat to raise the trophy next Sunday, Zverev will have to improve upon Monday's form and minimize his time on court across the early rounds.
Last year at the Open Zverev won a four-hour-and-41-minute Round of 16 epic over Italy's Jannik Sinner, but the fact that the 6-foot-6 veteran spent over 14 hours on court through his first four rounds played a role in his ultimate undoing—a lopsided quarterfinal loss to 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz that was over before it began.
For the German to get to the top of the mountain next weekend in Flushing Meadows, he must be a pillar of efficiency, among other things...
MATCH POINT: Zverev improves to 12-0 against left-handers on the ATP Tour this season, and improves his overall winning streak against southpaws to 23. He has not lost to a left-handed player since falling to Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler at Davis Cup in February of 2023.
Zverev finished the contest with 21 aces and 42 winners, compared to seven aces and 25 winners for Marterer. The German is closing in on 100 Grand Slam wins this week, and improved his overall record at the majors to 98-34.
