The top seed Alexander Zverev made a winning start in Rio on Tuesday night. World no. 2 ousted the Chinese Yunchaokete Bu 7-6, 6-4 in two hours and four minutes for a place in the last 16.
The German led 4-1 in the first set before dropping four straight games and saving a set point at 4-5! Alexander prevailed in the tie break after nearly 80 minutes and moved over the top with a late break in set number two.
Zverev took nine points more than Bu and made the difference behind the second serve. World no. 2 saved two of four break points and provided three breaks from six opportunities.
What. A. Set. 🔥
After leading 4-1, Zverev saves a set point to take the opening set over Bu in a tense tiebreak!@RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/z7uvKhO3Xk
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 18, 2025
Alexander landed 26 winners and 31 unforced errors. Yunchaokete stood on a 17-25 ratio, fighting hard but falling in straight sets. The German closed the first game of the encounter with an ace and made a push on the return in the next one.
He drew the Chinese’s backhand mistake and clinched a break at 15 for a reliable start. Zverev cemented the break with a service winner in game three and landed an ace after a deuce two games later for a 4-1 advantage.
Alexander Zverev, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
The top seed experienced a set back in the seventh game. He squandered a 40-0 lead and squandered four game points before sending a forehand wide on a break point, bringing his rival back to the positive side. Like in Buenos Aires last week, Alexander lost his focus.
The German hit a double fault in the ninth game, experiencing the second straight break and pushing his rival 5-4 in front. Bu rattled off four games and served for the opener at 5-4. The Chinese landed a powerful serve and generated a set point.
Yunchaokete Bu, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
Zverev saved it with a forced error and earned three break points. World no. 2 seized the last after the rival’s loose forehand to pull the break back and extend the battle. Alexander held after a deuce in game 11, and the set went into a tie break.
The German missed a routine forehand at 2-2 to suffer a mini-break. He erased the deficit in the next point and claimed an entertaining rally for 4-4. Yunchaokete missed a forehand in the tenth point and fell 6-4 behind, offering his rival two set points.
Alexander Zverev, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
Alexander seized the first with a powerful forehand, wrapping up the opener 7-6 after an hour and 18 minutes. The two rivals served well in the first eight games of the second set. World no. 2 held at 15 in game eight and made a push on the return in the next one.
Bu netted a routine forehand and faced a break point. He saved it with an ace before Zverev cracked a forehand winner for the second break chance. The German painted another forehand winner, breaking the rival’s serve and opening a 5-4 gap.
Alexander generated three match points with a service winner and landed a backhand crosscourt winner on the second to book a place in the second round.
Tennis World USA