In the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami, Croatian tennis player Borna Ćorić lost to German Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 3-6.
It was their seventh meeting and the fourth victory for the world #4 player and the second seed of the tournament. However, this match showed that Borna is slowly getting in the right shape after a long break due to injury.
The first set was equal until the result was 4-4, and both tennis players kept their serve. But in the ninth game, Zverev broke and safely served for 6-4 to lead 1-0 in sets.
The Croatian tennis player entered the second set brilliantly. With one break, he took a 3-0 lead and then kept the game advantage until the end of the set, when he won 6-3 after 38 minutes of play.
Unfortunately, Zverev fought back at the opening of the third set by winning three games in a row, after which Borna was unable to return. He had a break to return to the match in the ninth game, but Zverev then got the next two points to win.
Borna scored two aces during the match with a first-serve percentage of 65 percent and used one of two break points (Zverev two of three). He will have his next appearance in three weeks at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo.
In the next round of Miami, Zverev will play against the match winner between Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and American Mackenzie McDonald.
Borna recorded his first victory after 12 months by defeating Verdasco in the 1st round of Miami. In his second return appearance after injury, the 25-year-old from Zagreb defeated Spaniard Fernando Verdasco (123rd in the ATP ranking) in two sets – 6-4, 7-5.
It was his first celebration since Rotterdam in early March 2021 when he defeated Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals.
Croatia has another singles representative at the tournament in Miami. Namely, Marin Čilić will face Australian Alexei Popyrin in the 2nd round.
Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić also advanced to the second round of Miami. The best doubles team in the world last year surpassed the Georgian-Serbian side of Nikoloz Basilashvili / Laszlo Gere in the first round – 7-6 (3), 6-1.
Source: HTS
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