Miami (AP) – Alexander Zverev avoided another start at an important tennis tournament and possibly a new coach.
The third in the world rankings won in Miami 6: 4, 3: 6, 6: 3 against the Croatian Borna Coric and is already in the third round after his bye. “I needed a win,” Zverev said with relief afterwards, “I’m happy with how it went.”
Several media reported before the match that Zverev was testing former French Open winner Sergi Bruguera as a new coach. The Spaniard followed the game from the stands. Unlike the immediate exit in Indian Wells, Zverev managed to start the second major hard court tournament in the USA this month. In the round of the last 32, the Hamburger meets either the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrow or the American Mackenzie McDonald.
Against Coric, who is a year older than him and who is only number 166 in the world rankings after a long break due to a shoulder operation, Zverev had lost three of the previous five encounters and was therefore warned. The former number twelve in the world gave Zverev the first break chance with several mistakes at 4: 4 in the first set, which the Olympic champion also used with a forehand. After winning the set, Zverev wobbled on serve for the first time, gave up the service and then had to go into a third round. There he took a 3-0 lead and won after around two hours of play.
For Zverev, the year has not gone as desired so far. The 24-year-old led the German Davis Cup team to an away win in the qualifier in Brazil. In addition to his otherwise unsuccessful performance, he received a suspended suspension after hitting the referee’s chair with his racquet at the tournament in Acapulco.