Zverev Takes Down Fritz In D.C. Teen Tussle, Isner, Monfils Advance; Thiem Upset By Melzer In Kitzbuhel
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In a match-up of possible future Top 10ers, 19-year-old Alexander Zverev took down 18-year-old Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 Wednesday afternoon in Washington.
“Taylor has great potential for the future. That’s obvious,” Zverev said. “We’re all very young and there’s room for improvement for both of us.
“The goal for this year is just to get better and become the best player you can to compete in the best tournaments you can,” Zverev said. “I’m just trying to get better, to learn, and get stronger physically to compete against other guys.”
Earlier this month on July 11, the 27th-ranked Zverev On 11 July, became the youngest player to break into the Top 30 of the rankings since Rafael Nadal in March 2005.
Next for Zverev is Malek Jaziri.
Top seed and 3-time finalist John Isner hit 14 aces to cruise past James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4. Seven of Isner’s 10 career ATP World Tour titles have come in July or August. Last year, the big man reached the final in Washington losing to Kei Nishikori.
Bernard Tomic, Jack Sock, Steve Johnson, Borna Coric and Gael Monfils were also winners. Today, Coric meets Monfils, Isner faces Marcos Baghdatis and Tomic takes on Ivo Karlovic.
In Kitzbuhel, top seed Dominic Theim was stunned by countryman Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 7-5. The win for Melzer, who has been out almost a year due to a left shoulder injury, was his first over a Top 10 player in five years since beating Roger Federer at Monte Carlo in 2011.
“As a sportsman, you need to believe in your chances to win. Today this chance was very little, but I tried hard to use it,” said Melzer. “I think I showed almost perfect tennis, which one needs to play when facing Dominic. I also used the advantage that he had all the pressure on him.”
The 35-year-old Melzer will now face his younger brother Gerald in the quarterfinals.
20-year-old Karen Khachanov sent off the No. 2 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-4.
In Umag, Fabio Fognini and Jeremy Chardy advanced to the quarterfinals. Top seeds Pablo Cuevas and Joao Sousa will try to join them today.
And in Gstaad, top seed Feliciano Lopez reached the quarters. No. 2 seed Gilles Simon and No. 4 Thomaz Bellucci are in action today.
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