Zverev Fights Past Stubborn Coric In Miami

For the first time in four years, Alexander Zverev is a winner at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The 2018 runner-up was made to work by Borna Coric at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, but Zverev produced an impressive deciding-set performance to secure a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 second-round victory.

Despite his run to the championship match in 2018, Zverev has struggled since the tournament’s 2019 move to Hard Rock Stadium. The win over Coric is his first at the new venue, and the World No. 4 will hope it is the start of another deep run at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

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The second seed was also happy to bounce back from a narrow three-set defeat to Tommy Paul in the second round in Indian Wells two weeks ago. “I needed a win,” said Zverev after the match. “I needed a three-set win as well. Obviously, when you’re up a set, you don’t want to go three sets, and yet I’m happy with how everything went.

“Borna, for me personally, is a very tough opponent. I’m happy with how things went and looking forward to the next match as well.”

Despite the loss, Coric also impressed and will take plenty of positives from what was just his third tour-level match back after 12 months out with a shoulder injury. On this evidence, the former World No. 12 will make his way back to the Top 20 in the ATP Rankings sooner rather than later.

The Zverev serve came out firing, helping the second seed hold to love three times as he dropped just three points behind his delivery on his way to the opening set. Coric immediately halted the World No. 4’s momentum in the second set, however, surging to a 3-0 lead and staying solid on serve to force a decider.

Zverev upped his level again for the third set, securing an early break that was enough as his serve continued to prove a potent weapon. According to Infosys ATP Stats, the German won 83 per cent (35/42) points behind his first delivery in the match, and he also fired 10 aces on his way to a victory that took just over two hours.

Zverev was pleased with his approach in the decider after the blow of losing the second set. “It was a very close game on my serve at 0-0,” he said. “I was down 15/30 and I played very aggressive points and I thought, ‘I lost the last few matches not going for my shots. I’m going to do that today’, and it worked out well.”

The defeat means Coric is now 0-16 against Top 5 opponents after dropping the first set. It is Zverev’s second victory over the Croatian in Miami, having beaten him in straight-sets on his way to the 2018 final, and the win levels the pair’s ATP Head2Head series at 3-3.

Zverev’s third-round assignment in Miami will be the man who pulled one of the upsets of the day: Mackenzie McDonald. The American ousted 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-1, 6-4. The home favourite took advantage of all three of his break points and did not face a break point himself.

At the 2018 Australian Open, Dimitrov battled past McDonald in five gruelling sets. But under the Miami sun, the American was victorious in 72 minutes.

Zverev has won all four of his previous sets against McDonald, including a 6-2, 7-6(5) win in Montpellier earlier this year.