Zverev Dominates Damm at Miami Open; Shevchenko Surprises Shelton
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Miami, March 22 (NationPress) Indian Wells semi-finalist Zverev smoothly commenced his Miami Open journey with a win over Damm. The German tennis star dominated wildcard Martin Damm with a score of 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday (IST).
This win enhances Zverev’s remarkable record at the ATP Masters 1000 level this decade, marking his 103rd victory. It also reinforces his strong performance against players ranked outside the Top 100 and showcases his consistent play against left-handed competitors in recent years.
Zverev has now achieved 20 match victories in Miami and is set to face seasoned player Marin Cilic, who advanced after a close match against Brandon Nakashima, saving a match point in the process.
Meanwhile, Alexander Shevchenko executed a commendable comeback to eliminate home favorite Ben Shelton, while third seed Alexander Zverev progressed to the third round with ease at the Miami Open on Sunday.
Shevchenko overcame a set deficit to secure a 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over Shelton in a late-night second-round match, marking another early exit for the American at this major tournament held in his home state of Florida.
This win signifies the World No. 84’s third career victory against a Top 10 player and allows him to advance to the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the fourth time.
The Kazakhstani nearly fell in the second set but elevated his game during the tie-break to force a decisive third set. He played aggressively, gaining an early break to apply pressure on Shelton.
Despite Shelton's strong serves at the start, he later struggled as Shevchenko took control of the rallies. Remaining composed under pressure, Shevchenko lost just one point in his final two service games, sealing a stylish victory. This result propels Shevchenko to face Ugo Humbert, who triumphed over Gabriel Diallo in straight sets earlier.