Alexander Zverev continues ATP Finals push with 50th match win of 2023

Alexander Zverev posted his 50th match win of the year on Monday in Vienna, as he looks to strengthen his bid to reach the ATP Finals for a sixth time in seven years.

The No. 5 seed dismissed wild card Sebastian Ofner, 6-4, 6-1, in the first round of the Erste Bank Open to get his bid underway. Zverev did not face a break point, taking 23 of 26 of his first-serve points to cruise through after 78 minutes.

Zverev’s comeback season following the horrific ankle injury he sustained during the 2022 Roland Garros semifinals has seen the German return to the Top 10 of the ATP singles rankings after opening the year at 3-6. The 26-year-old is seeking his second 500-level crown of 2023, having triumphed in his native Hamburg.

The former world No. 3, who also won the ATP 250 in Chengdu last month. Is currently No. 7 in the race to Turin. He is a two-time ATP Finals champion, lifting the trophy in 2018 (London) and 2021 (Turin). Zverev has now won at least 50 matches in four different seasons, with 60 five years ago marking his highest total.

Eighth seed Karen Khachanov and left-hander Cameron Norrie also advanced. Khachanov defeated countryman Roman Safiullin, 6-4, 6-4, while Norrie overcame local qualifier Filip Misolic, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3, saving four set points before claiming the opening tiebreaker.

It was a tough day all around for the Americans. After J.J. Wolf lost to Jiri Lehecka in Vienna, Christopher Eubanks and Sebastian Korda both went down in Basel. Eubanks was beaten by Jan-Lennard Struff and Korda went out over three sets to Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The Argentine gets Andy Murray in round two, as the Brit defeated Yannick Hanfmann, 7-5, 6-4.

Plenty of notable names are in action across the pair of events Tuesday, including Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, Hubert Hurkacz, Tommy Paul, Stan Wawrinka and a Wimbledon rematch between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem.