At midday he was doing some casual streching at the balcony, while watching his brother Mischa in his opening match against Lukas Lacko. And this casualness was transported by Alexander „Sascha“ Zverev also into his first game at the 25th GERRY WEBER OPEN against the Italian Paolo Lorenzi.
Strong with his own service, alert at the net, always with a oppropriate shot when facing his opponents net-attacks: For the 20 year-old man from Hamburg it went especially the way he wanted it to go in the first set. An early break 3:1 brought even more security. In his own service, the No. 12 in the world showed full sovereignty. To 15, to Love, to 15, to 15, to Love - Zverevs balance in five service games was admirable.
Only at the beginning of the second round the favourite wobbled slightly. At 1:0 the 35 year-old Italian had two break chances, but didn't use any of them. Chances you have to take playing against Alexander Zverev, because otherwise he fights back stone-cold. Just what he did with the break to 2:1. At 3:2 Zverev had to again fender off a break chance, but was able to again and that meant: 4:2, 5:2 as well as 6:2.
After this fast match - just under an hour played - the winner was clearly delighted: "I love to play here in Halle. The audience is sensational." And he got the crowds on the Centre Court laughing, too. Asked about if he was able to interpret his father Alexanders' facial expressions, he said with a smirk: "I always look at the others in the box, because they show more emotions."
