Alexander Zverev moved into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6:7, 6:1, 6:4, 6:2 win over Gabriel Diallo. He only had difficulties at the beginning.
Maybe Alexander Zverev should do his on-court interviews with Andrea Petkovic before the game instead of after, that would definitely ease the tension. “The two of us really can’t have a normal interview,” Zverev joked to his German ex-colleague after the game. As always, the two teased each other humorously and ironically, much to the delight of the spectators in the Rod Laver Arena. The question “What did you do differently after the first sentence?” Zverev countered with a laughing “Well, it couldn’t get any worse.” The mood was visibly relaxed, completely different than at the beginning of the match.
The German seemed noticeably tense. Maybe because he knew what was coming. A two-meter-tall serving giant who can also play tennis quite well stood opposite him. Zverev got a first taste of this package in the first game, in which he was unable to return a single serve from his opponent. Gabriel Diallo was there immediately, Zverev wasn’t there for a long time. And so it quickly became 1:4, Zverev didn’t seem to be in control, especially struggling with his forehand.
The forehand was worrying
However, a brief lapse in concentration from Diallo brought Zverev back into action, and so it went to the tie-break. And that was a reflection of the first set: Zverev didn’t carry out his sporadic net attacks with full conviction, and from the baseline his forehand continued to cause concern, nine unforced forehand errors in the first set, a thrown racket, a curse in Russian, you could still tell that Zverev was tense. Diallo confidently achieved the tie-break at 7:1; he was the more concentrated, more active, better player in the first set and deservedly led 1:0.
That changed in the truest sense of the word suddenly at the beginning of the second sentence. Diallo hardly scored any free points with his serve, Zverev had adjusted much better and so the German got two breaks in a row. After just 31 minutes, Zverev won the second set 6-1, which was important for the score. And finally the forehand ran smoothly, important for the feeling.
Efficient serve
In the third set, both players were on equal terms and each played their serves confidently. Both lived from their strong service, Zverev didn’t give up a single point in his three service games. And then it happened: A highly concentrated and at the same time relaxed Alexander Zverev broke Diallo to make it 4:3. Zverev took action when Diallo’s service weakened a little, and the Canadian also produced two unforced errors. The point for the break was then played out brilliantly by Zverev, powerful attack ball, net attack, volley neatly placed – game Zverev. Diallo was a bit out of sorts after that, made one mistake after another, seemed annoyed, and Zverev had a clean percentage to win the set 6:4.
And so it continued. Diallo no longer had any rhythm at all and had completely lost his inner calm. Zverev was handed the break on a silver platter right at the start of the fourth set. Diallo made hair-raising mistakes, while Zverev returned brilliantly. Thanks to his efficient serve, he easily kept his opponent at bay, plus powerful baseline play, Zverev had everything under control. The almost logical consequence was another break for the German, and at 5:2 Alexander Zverev served to win the match.
Zverev is clearly the better player
In the end there was a four-set win for Zverev, who, after a tense start, was able to shake off his nervousness at the start of the second set and was then clearly the better player. From then on, his service in particular was untouchable; in sets two, three and four he only gave up a total of seven points in his service games. The first hurdle would be over, where and especially how far the journey goes, this match didn’t give any real information about that today, but the opponent wasn’t competitive enough from the second set onwards. But at least the leisure time planning is in place: “I’m going to the casino now,” Zverev revealed to Andrea Petkovic on the microphone, with the smile of a winner.
