Zverev overcomes Muller to make third round in Australian Open

MELBOURNE: Last year’s finalist, Alexander Zverev, has advanced to the Australian Open third round, defeating Alexandre Muller 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday in a match delayed by rain.

Zverev cruised through the first set with ease, but Muller made a comeback and clinched the second set. The German tennis star reached a comfortable position in the see-sawing third set when he raced to a 4-2 lead, but a sudden spell of rain delayed the play on John Cain Arena and threatened to disrupt the German’s rhythm.

The match was delayed for 40 minutes, as the ground staff was tending to the court. After the break, the third seed got back to work and barely skipped a beat on serve, as he added another set to his bucket to regain control of the contest. “Credit to him. Two days ago he played 7-6(4) in the fifth against an Australian, Alexei Popyrin, and the way he came out, he played amazing tennis,” Zverev said, hailing Muller’s battling qualities.

“I thought it was a very high-level match. I didn’t know what his energy levels would be like but he’s one of the fittest guys on Tour and I’m extremely happy with this match.” Alexander Zverev broke Muller for a sixth time early in the final set, but at 2-1, the three-times Grand Slam runner-up appeared to be struggling and sat down in his chair due to an injured leg before the 28-year-old soldiered on after medical treatment. When the match resumed, Zverev fired some serious winners from his racket, as he looked to shorten his time on court, and he lost two match points before finishing the match with a big ace to book a meeting with British 26th seed Cameron Norrie. Web Desk