Zverev Progresses in Acapulco While Ruud Exits
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Key Takeaways
Acapulco, Feb 25 (NationPress) In his first competitive match following a gripping Australian Open semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz, world number four Alexander Zverev moved on to the second round of the Mexican Open with a score of 6-2, 6-4 against French player Corentin Moutet.
With this victory marking his 15th win in Acapulco, Zverev (15-5) has now equaled Rafael Nadal (15-2) for the most wins at this event since it transitioned to hard courts in 2014. Furthermore, he surpassed David Ferrer for the second-highest number of ATP 500 wins since the series began in 2009, with a tally of 117 victories (117-49), only behind Nadal's 121 (121-19).
Zverev dominated the first set in less than 40 minutes, scoring five aces and breaking Moutet's serve twice. Although Moutet fought back in the second set, he struggled to counter Zverev's powerful game, especially his two-handed backhand and effective net approaches.
This was their third encounter on the ATP circuit, with Zverev holding a favorable record, having defeated Moutet twice previously in 2025.
“It wasn’t an easy match; he played several drop shots and that style isn't straightforward to handle. However, I capitalized on my chances to win. Acapulco presents its own challenges due to the conditions, but I believe I’m performing well,” Zverev remarked in the post-match press briefing.
Aiming to reclaim his title from the 2021 ATP 500 event, Zverev is set to compete against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, whom he has faced three times with two victories to his name.
In earlier matches, 2024 tournament runner-up Casper Ruud was knocked out after a close match, losing 6-7 (2-7), 6-7 (2-7) to Yibing Wu (No. 142), who advanced from the qualifying round.
Wu's next challenger will be Sho Shimabukuro from Japan, who triumphed over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.