The three-set win against the American Querrey was the German's twelfth success in a row.
Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev started with a sovereign first-round appearance in the US Open. A good four weeks after his gold coup in Tokyo and one week after his tournament victory in Cincinnati, the 24-year-old German won on Tuesday in the first round of the hard court Grand Slam tournament against the American Sam Querrey 6: 4.7: 5.6: 2. Zverev fixed his twelfth match win in a row in just 1:39 hours.
“The match was okay, a first round against a player who is extremely dangerous on hard court. That's why I'm happy with the three-set win,” said the fourth in the world rankings in an interview with Eurosport. Against Querrey, Zverev also decided the third direct duel without losing a set for himself. The next hurdle is the French Lucas Pouille or the Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Zverev is aiming for his first major triumph in New York one year after the lost final against ÖTV star Dominic Thiem.
Set win against Djokovic
One lap further is also top favorite Novak Djokovic. The 34-year-old world number one from Serbia gave the Danish tournament debutant Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune no chance despite winning a set and won against the 18-year-old 6: 1.6: 7 (5), 6: 2.6: 1.
The Spaniard Pablo Carreno-Busta is no longer represented in the competition. The number nine of the tournament surprisingly lost out against the American Maxime Cressy after a two-set lead in a thriller with 7: 5.6: 4.1: 6.4: 6.6: 7 (7).
Favorites are on
The Olympic champion also started victoriously with the women. The number eleven seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic, who made it to the semifinals in New York in 2019, kept the upper hand against the Dutch Arantxa Rus 6: 4.6: 4 and is now facing the Italian Martina Trevisan.
World number one Ashleigh Barty also got into the action without losing a set. The Australian Wimbledon winner celebrated a 6: 1,7: 6 (7) success against the Russian Vera Swonarewa. Barty had triumphed in Cincinnati a good week ago and is considered a top favorite for the title.
