Zverev Hits 500 Wins Milestone, Advances at Toronto Masters
Toronto, Canada – Alexander Zverev, the reigning Olympic champion, secured his 500th career ATP tour victory today, advancing to the round of 16 at the Masters tournament in Toronto. The German star overcame a challenging first set against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, ultimately winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
“This is a great success,” Zverev commented after the match. “There are not many players who have reached this milestone. Of course I want 500 more victories or more.”
The hardcourt tournament, boasting a prize pool of approximately $9.2 million, will see Zverev face Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the next round. Zverev, currently ranked world No. 3, has a 0-3 head-to-head record against the 24th-ranked Cerundolo.
Zverev’s performance against Arnaldi saw a dip in control after a strong start. Despite holding a 4-2 led and having break point opportunities, Zverev appeared unsettled, making uncharacteristic errors with his backhand. He managed to save three set points before ultimately losing the first set in a tie-break.
“I played better from the baseline the longer the match went. My backhand felt strange, that doesn’t happen frequently enough,” Zverev admitted. “After that I felt more agreeable and was satisfied with my level.”
The momentum shifted decisively in the second set, with Zverev quickly securing a 6-3 win to level the match. In the third set, zverev initially expressed frustration after failing to convert three break chances at 1-1. Though, he regrouped to clinch the victory after a grueling 2-hour and 46-minute battle, even eliciting cheers from the crowd for an notable pocket-catch of a tennis ball.
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