15:21
Kwon – Zverev 4: 6, 1: 1
Except for the last service game, Zverev served brilliantly in the first set. And this time it’s going really well again. The German is passed by Kwon’s backhand cross at the start, but then Zverev plays it down safely. Again and again, the 25-year-old is looking for his way to the net and scores there confidently. 1:1!
15:18
Kwon – Zverev 4: 6, 1: 0
Soonwoo Kwon opens the second set and, thanks to some slight mistakes by Zverev, quickly races to 40: 0. The Hamburger still secured one point, then a service winner sealed the 1-0.
15:14
Kwon-Zverev 4:6
It is finished! Zverev fends off another breakball with his eighth ace and has his fourth set ball a little later. This time the first comes, Kwon’s return sails out and the sentence is sealed. In the end it was hard work again, but in the end the first round after 42 minutes deservedly went to the Germans.
15:12
Kwon-Zverev 4:5
It goes back and forth! Zverev fends off two breakballs with oh and noisy, then his seventh ace brings him the next set ball. But he also skips that because a forehand from the half-field cuts into the net. Debut again!
15:09
Kwon-Zverev 4:5
Suddenly it’s going in the other direction! Kwon suddenly reads Zverev’s serves correctly, brings long returns into the field and puts a lot of pressure on himself with the forehand. The Korean didn’t play that well the whole set, now he has the chance for a rebreak!
15:07
Kwon-Zverev 4:5
But then Zverev picks up the pace again and clears two set balls with a nice forehand volley.
15:06
Kwon-Zverev 4:5
Kwon hasn’t written off that first pass yet. The 25-year-old runs a net roller by Zverev and responds with a fantastic counter-stop at 15:15.
15:03
Kwon-Zverev 4:5
It almost looks a bit as if Zverev would rather save energy with the break in the back on the return. The Hamburger repeatedly risks too much and slams the ball wide with the first shot. At the ball, Kwon unpacks another chic stop and shortens again. After the change, Zverev served for the sentence.
15:00
Kwon – Zverev 3: 5
Kwon comes back to 40:30, but the Korean does not bring Zverev’s serve into the field. 5:3!
14:59
Kwon – Zverev 3: 4
How confidently Zverev has played his service games so far is impressive. The German fields well over r80% of his first serves and then almost always makes the point. The next two aces make it a quick 40-0.
14:57
Kwon – Zverev 3: 4
As you do with me, so do you: Soonwoo Kwon can still bend a 0:30 and shorten it to 3:4. After a good return, Zverev had the chance to make it 15:40, but hit the following forehand ball with the frame. Ultimately, the first ace gives the Korean the game.
14:55
Kwon – Zverev 2: 4
Overall, Zverev already has clear playful advantages here. Whenever he gets into a rally, he’s on the trigger a little later and dictates what’s going on. Kwon realizes he has to risk more and promptly risks too much and is now 0:30 against himself.
14:52
Kwon – Zverev 2: 4
Scarce thing! Zverev puts everything into a backhand cross and the thing just scratches the line. After 0:30, the two-time ATP world champion scores four points in a row and grabs the 4: 2.
14:50
Kwon – Zverev 2: 3
An unsuccessful return gives Kwon his first point in the following return game and when Zverev then chases a backhand into the net, he is faced with a 0:30 for the first time. But the German manages that very coolly. An ace and a service winner get him on track, then the 25-year-old gets the ball.
14:46
Kwon – Zverev 2: 3
Soonwoo Kwon doesn’t have nearly as much power in his game as Zverev and lives above all from the pace of the German. But the Korean has a lot of feeling for it and a stop that is as surprising as it is perfect leads to the 40:0. This time Kwon grabs it and shortens it to 2:3.
14:43
Kwon – Zverev 1: 3
Physically, Alexander Zverev is of course far from where he was before his injury. The German still saves one step or the other. When you serve, it still looks really good. The first flies over the net at around 210m km/h, two more aces lead to 3:1.
14:42
Kwon – Zverev 1: 2
Two good serves bring the 25-year-old his first game win.
14:41
Kwon 0-2 Zverev
In the second service game, Kwon finds his rhythm and gets some free points. The Korean quickly leads 40:0 before giving away the first two balls a bit lazily. Then follows a double fault and it’s still about debut.
14:38
Kwon 0-2 Zverev
Zverev also gets off to a strong start with the serve! The Olympic champion puts one cracking first after the other into the field and quickly has a 40:15 lead. Then the Hamburger also packs his first ace and makes the dream start perfect.
14:36
Kwon 0-1 Zverev
Sascha Zverev carelessly forgives the first breakball, but then he grabs it! With a bit of luck, the Hamburger comes into the rally and when Kwon falls short, the smoothly drawn forehand cross leads to the game win.
14:34
Kwon 0-0 Zverev
The German finds his way into the match well, has a decent length in his basic strokes and consistently puts his opponent under pressure. The first two balls are there immediately.
14:33
Kwon 0-0 Zverev
Here we go! Soonwoo Kwon serves first. The two immediately deliver a first longer rally, which Zverev ultimately wins with a backhand inside-out.
14:27
It’s about to start
The two protagonists have just entered Center Court and started hitting the ball. Alexander Zverev had luck on his side when he tossed the coin and opted for a setback. So Soonwoo Kwon can start the duel right away.
14:08
First duel
So far, Sascha Zverev and Soonwoo Kwon have never played against each other on the tour. So today we are experiencing a premiere. Slowly but surely things can start, because Hurkacz and Bautista Agut are already in the tie-break of the decisive set. It will then take a moment until the court is prepared again and the game should hopefully start around 2:30 p.m.
13:57
Rotterdam not a good place
So far, Alexander Zverev’s performances in Rotterdam have not been particularly successful. Only when he took part for the first time in 2016 did the 25-year-old make it to the quarter-finals. In his other three participations, he was eliminated twice in the first and once in the second round. Zverev was last there in 2021 and lost his opening match against Alexander Bublik.
13:12
It still takes
The ongoing match on Center Court goes into the third set. So it will definitely be a while before Zverev and Kwon are finally allowed to present their skills.
12:55 p.m
The court is still occupied
The original starting time of 1 p.m. will probably not be kept, because Hubert Hurkacz and Roberto Bautista Agut are currently dueling on Center Court. Sascha Zverev and Soonwoo Kwon have to be patient a little longer.
12:44
Kwon makes you sit up and take notice
Soonwoo Kwon started the year with a bang. As a qualifier, the South Korean won his second ATP title in Adelaide, beating the two strong Spaniards Pablo Carreño Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut. Most recently, Kwon beat Belgium’s top player David Goffin in the Davis Cup to lead his team to sensational success. The 25-year-old is currently 63rd in the world rankings.
12:34
Next step for Zverev
After his serious injury at the French Open last year, Alexander Zverev is working his way back onto the tour step by step. At the Australian Open, the Hamburg player managed a five-set win against the qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas, in the Davis Cup he recently beat Stan Wawrinka, but was surprisingly clearly defeated by Marc-Andrea Hüsler. Expectations are still low for Zverev, but every match is an important step on the way back to the top of the world.
09:41
Welcome…
…to the 500 tournament in Rotterdam. In the first round, Alexander Zverev will face South Korean Soonwoo Kwon at 1 p.m.