Alexander Zverev sweeps Karen Khachanov off the court to claim 50th victory of 2024

Alexander Zverev is the first player with 50 wins in 2024! The 2021 Cincinnati champion made a winning start at the seventh Masters 1000 of the season, Defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 21 minutes. Alexander defeated his good friend for the fifth time in seven meetings, outperforming Karen on serve and return to achieve a milestone triumph.

Zverev made the difference with his first serve. He struggled with the second, like Khachanov, and denied three of the four break points. Khachanov could not keep up with that pace, losing 47% of the points in his games and losing his serve four times out of eight chances his opponent got.

Alexander fired 24 service winners and tamed his strokes more efficiently than Karen. The German added 16 winners and 18 unforced errors to his total, and the Russian ruined his chances after a terrible 9-26 ratio, in which he sprayed most of the errors from his forehand.

They remained neck and neck in the middle class and most extended exchanges.

Zverev took the fastest races and built up a significant lead that took him to victory.

Alexander opened the action with a reliable service game, firing a forehand winner for a hold at love. Karen responded with a hold at 30 in the second game and pushed for the return in the next. Zverev squandered a 30-0 lead in the third game, dropping three points in a row and giving Khachanov a break chance after a loose forehand.

The Russian missed a huge chance to grab a break, making a forehand error and letting the German win the match. They served well in games four and five, with Alexander leading 3-2 and coming on for the return in game six.

Karen missed a forehand and had two break points. Khachanov hit a backhand right after the serve, got broken and trailed 4-2. Zverev consolidated the lead with a hold in game seven, hit a service winner and went 5-2 up.

The German served the season opener at 5-3 and created three set points with a winning serve.

Alexander Zverev lost five games against Karen Khachanov in Cincinnati.

Alexander converted the first goal with a second, which decided the set 6-3 after 32 minutes and gave him a lead.

Karen struggled at the start of the second set, facing five break points in the first game. The world number 4 seized the last with a backhand down the line, resulting in an early break and moving closer to the finish.

Zverev held on 15 in the second game and delivered his second consecutive break in the next game after Khachanov double-faulted. Alexander lost his focus a bit in the fourth game, double-faulting and allowing Karen to pull back a break.

Karen produced a hold at love in the fifth game, cutting the gap to 3-2 and improving his chances. Zverev held on in the sixth game after a deuce, landing a service winner to end his downfall. Khachanov hit a forehand error in the seventh game, giving his opponent a break point.

They took a short break due to rain and as they continued Alexander hit a forehand winner, creating another break and a 5-2 lead.

The German served for the win in the eighth game but missed the first match point after the Russian had some luck with the net.

Karen seized on Alexander’s mistake and created a break chance. Khachanov hit a backhand and Zverev generated the second match point with a powerful serve. The world No. 4 converted it after his rival’s wayward forehand, sealing the deal and reaching the last 16.

Hubert Hurkacz had to dig deep against Yoshihito Nishioka, by 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 in two hours and 12 minutes. The Japanese outplayed the Pole in the opener and missed a chance to seal the deal in the second set, losing the set in the tiebreak and disappearing from the court.

Nishioka was given a point and a game penalty for ball abuse, barely put in any effort in the deciding set and destroyed himself. The opening set offered Yoshihito many break chances, earning 18 and taking two in games five and nine.

They served well in the beginning of the second set and quickly came to 3-3. We saw three break chances in games seven, eight and nine, but the returners failed to capitalize on any of them.

Both players served well in the last three games, which led to a tiebreak. Hubert took three minibreaks, took the breaker at 7-4 and forced a deciding set. They produced three comfortable holds at the start of the final set before Yoshihito lost ground.

Hurkacz grabbed a break in the fourth game with a return winner and opened a 3-1 lead. The Japanese hit two balls out of bounds and was given a penalty point. The Pole held on to 4-1 and earned the next game after a game penalty for his opponent.

Hubert decided the match with a winning serve in the seventh game, which put him over the line and secured a place in the third round.