Alexander Zverev explains what he did not like about his Rio Open first round performance despite winning

Alexander Zverev Criticizes His Performance Despite Rio Open Victory

Alexander Zverev may have started his Rio Open campaign with a win, but the German star wasn’t entirely pleased with his performance.

Following an early exit at the Argentina Open after a loss to Francisco Cerundolo, Zverev looked to bounce back in Brazil. As the top seed, the 27-year-old is eager to deliver a stronger showing on South American clay.

Zverev’s Tough Opening Match

In his Rio Open debut, Zverev faced Yunchaokete Bu in the first round.

The match didn’t start smoothly for the World No. 2, who had to save a set point on Bu’s serve before eventually claiming the opening set in a tiebreak.

Despite opening up a 4-1 lead in the second set, Zverev allowed Bu to claw back to 4-4 before regaining control and closing out a 7-6, 6-4 victory.

While the win secured his place in the last 16, Zverev was not entirely satisfied with his level of play:

“Not a great match by me, but he played some good tennis. He made it difficult for me. Actually, it’s surprising because I played really, really well in practice here the whole week, so I hope it’s just the first match.”

What’s Next for Zverev?

With his first-round victory, Zverev moves on to the round of 16, where he will face Alexander Shevchenko.

The upcoming match will be the first-ever meeting between the two on the ATP Tour.

Shevchenko, who has struggled so far this season with just three wins in eight matches, gained some momentum with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Felipe Meligeni Alves in the first round. He will now face one of the toughest challenges of his career against the top seed Zverev.

Looking Ahead

While Zverev wasn’t entirely satisfied with his performance, he remains hopeful that his form will improve as the Rio Open progresses. With higher expectations for himself, all eyes will be on how he performs in his next test against Shevchenko.