Alexander Zverev beat last week’s Sardegna Open champion Lorenzo Sonego 6-3 6-3 after 1 hour and 38 minutes on the Court Rainier III to move into the third round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Zverev broke serve at deuce in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead and saved two break points in the fifth game with his backhand. Sonego converted his third break-back point in the seventh game after three deuces for 3-4 with a forehand down the line, but Zverev broke serve at 15 in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. The German player closed it out on his third set point.
Zverev went up a set and a break in the first game of the second set. Sonego converted his third break-back point after a double fault from Zverev. The German player fended off a break point to hold serve after three deuces in the fourth game.
Sonego saved a break point in the seventh game, but Zverev converted his second chance with his backhand to take a 4-3 lead. Sonego committed his first double fault of the match at 3-5 15-30 down. Zverev sealed the second set 6-3 with his third break in the ninth game.
“Lorenzo just won a tournament, so he is obviously in very good form right now and playing good tennis. The first match on a clay court is never easy, but I am happy to be through like that”, said Zverev.
Zverev set up a third-round match against David Goffin, who eased past Marco Cecchinato 6-4 6-0 after 64 minutes.
Zverev leads 2-1 in his three previous head-to-head matches against Goffin.
“Goffin is extremely difficult to beat, especially during the first few matches on clay. I think he feels extremely comfortable on this surface, so it is going to be interesting to see how that goes. Every time we have played it has been three sets. I am expecting a very difficult match”, said Zverev.
Sonego won his second career title at the Sardegna Open in Cagliari last week moving up to world number 28 in the ATP Ranking. However he will drop four positions, as he loses the points he won when he reached the quarter finals in Monte-Carlo in 2019.
Casper Ruud beat Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-3 with a break in the sixth game of the first set and two consecutive breaks in the seventh and ninth games of the second set.
Daniel Evans upset 2021 Miami Open champion Hubert Hurkacz 6-4 6-1 with a break in the ninth game of the first set and three breaks in the first, third and seventh games of the second set.
This year’s Doha finalist Roberto Bautista Agut beat Tommy Paul 6-3 6-4. Bautista Agut went up a double break to race out to a 4-0 lead in the first set.
Paul pulled one break back in the seventh game for 2-5, but Bautista Agut served out the first set at deuce 6-3 in the ninth game. Bautista Agut went up a break in the first game to take a 2-0 lead in the second set. Paul broke back at deuce to draw level to 2-2. Both players went on serve until the ninth game, when Bautista Agut sealed the win with a decisive break.
