Second seed Alexander Zverev began his Australian Open campaign in commanding fashion, defeating France’s Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to secure his place in the second round on Sunday.
The twice Grand Slam runner-up made his intentions clear at Melbourne Park, aiming for his maiden major title. The 2024 semi-finalist started strong, clinching the opening set with an inside-out forehand winner. Zverev maintained his momentum, breaking Pouille early in the second set to establish a 3-1 lead, leaving the Frenchman struggling to find answers.
In the third set, Zverev elevated his play, converting his third break point out of 18 opportunities. He held firm in a tightly contested game to go up 5-3 and sealed the match with an ace, setting up a second-round clash with Pedro Martinez, who advanced after Luciano Darderi retired due to injury while trailing 6-3, 4-1.
On the same day, Chinese rising star Bu Yunchaokete faced a challenging debut, falling in straight sets to qualifier Hady Habib. Habib, serving strongly throughout the match, overcame a late surge from Bu to record a 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-6(6) victory in two hours and 31 minutes.
The 22-year-old Bu, still seeking his first Grand Slam victory after his debut at last year’s U.S. Open, entered the match as the favorite. However, the encounter was significantly delayed by heavy rain in Melbourne, causing disruptions on the outside courts and pushing their match to the evening.
Habib made history by becoming the first Lebanese men’s player to reach a Grand Slam singles draw. His performance against Bu showcased his resilience, having battled through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the main draw.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
