MELBOURNE: World Number 3 Alexander Zverev started his Australian Open campaign on a high note. The German tennis star shook off an early setback to produce a composed four-set win over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo in the first round at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.
Zverev recovered after dropping the opening set in a tense tiebreak to register a 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory, advancing to the second round after asserting his authority with superior serving and baseline consistency.
The match began with Diallo matching Zverev stride for stride, forcing errors from the German and pushing the first set into a tiebreak. Diallo held his nerve in the breaker to clinch the set, briefly unsettling the former Grand Slam finalist.
However, Zverev responded emphatically in the second set, raising the intensity on his serve and return game. He broke Diallo early and never looked back, conceding just one game as he levelled the match with a dominant 6-1 set, winning 84 per cent of points on his first serve.
The third set saw Diallo attempt to reassert himself, but Zverev’s experience proved decisive at crucial moments. The German converted key break points to take the set 6-4, tightening his grip on the contest while maintaining control in longer rallies.
Zverev sealed the match in the fourth set with a clinical display, breaking Diallo twice and closing out the encounter 6-2. He finished with 15 aces, won 74 per cent of his first-serve points, and converted six of eight break-point opportunities, underlining his efficiency under pressure.
Overall, Zverev claimed 118 total points compared to Diallo’s 92 and won 24 games in the match. Diallo, despite showing promise and winning the opening-set tiebreak, struggled with consistency on serve, committing five double faults and winning only 46 per cent of points on his second serve.
With this win, Zverev has now become the first player to reach the second round of the last ten Australian Open tournaments. Zverev has always shown great fight, but never won a title. The 28-year-old will now aim to end his grand slam drought this year.