Open-mouthed confession in Paris - Zverev's Self-examination
German tennis star Alexander Zverev started his French Open campaign on a positive note, overcoming American Learner Tien in straight sets on Sunday. Zverev, the third seed at Roland Garros, displayed a solid performance despite a challenging clay-court season to far.
The 19-year-old Tien, who had previously defeated Zverev in Acapulco, was not a significant benchmark for the German this time around. Zverev, who reached the final last year, cruised through the encounter, securing the first match point after 1 hour and 53 minutes.
In the next round, Zverev will face Dutch player Jesper de Jong, who defeated Francesco Passaro from Italy in five sets. "It was a good start to the tournament," Zverev said after the match. "I hope it continues like this, and we have two beautiful weeks."
Speaking about his health, Zverev showed no signs of the illness that had affected him at the Hamburg Open last week. The World No. 3 had complained of nausea and fever after losing in the quarterfinals to Frenchman Alexandre Muller in his hometown.
Reflecting on his preparation, Zverev acknowledged that it had not been ideal, but he was optimistic about his chances. "It wasn't the best preparation I've ever had, but it wasn't before Australia either," he said. "I had to withdraw from the United Cup and could only start practicing two days before the tournament. And then I reached the final."
Zverev's powerful forehand was instrumental in handling the few tricky situations he encountered, particularly in the second set when he faced break points. Tennis legend Boris Becker hailed Zverev's performance on Eurosport, stating, "It was a good start. Let's hope it continues like this."
Looking ahead, if Zverev and Novak Djokovic, the sixth seed, advance through their respective sections of the draw without significant upsets, they could meet in the quarterfinals. Zverev could face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final, as both players have been impressive so far.
In other German news, Maximilian Marterer exited the tournament in the first round, losing to Australian Adam Walton in five sets. Only three of the nine German pros who started are now in the second round, with Eva Lys and Daniel Altmaier joining Zverev in the next stage.
Zverev, the tennis enthusiast, voiced his enthusiasm for the continuing success of his sports journey, mentioning, "I hope it continues like this, and we have two beautiful weeks." Meanwhile, the next sports challenge for Zverev will be against Dutch player Jesper de Jong in his upcoming match, as he attempts to conquer tennis courts once more.
