#NextGen Star Zverev Breezes Through

Alexander Zverev is making winning on the ATP World Tour as a teenager look routine this week at the BNP Paribas Open.

#NextGen star Zverev, 18, earned his second win over a Top 30 player in as many matches on Tuesday, beating the No. 16 seed Gilles Simon of France, 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and seven minutes. On Sunday, Zverev dismissed the No. 23 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

“I had a great day today,” Zverev said. “Someone like Gilles, if you don’t hit him off the court he’s going to be tough to beat. He’s going to be running and fighting all day. So, I knew what I had to do, and I think I did it pretty well.”

Zverev won 80 per cent of his first-serve points, hit 14 winners to 13 unforced errors and had 11 break points overall, five of which he converted. Simon, meanwhile, landed about half of his first serves and hit more than three times as many unforced errors, 32, than winners, 10.

“Beating someone like Gilles 6-2, 6-2 is something that gives me a lot of confidence,” Zverev said. 

The unseeded German now advances to the fourth round, where he’ll face a Spaniard, either Rafael Nadal or Fernando Verdasco.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori matched his best showing in Indian Wells on Tuesday. Nishikori, the No. 5 seed, fought off American Steve Johnson 7-6(6), 7-6(5) to move into the fourth round. Nishikori also made the fourth round in the desert last year but lost to Feliciano Lopez in straight sets. Nishikori will next play either American John Isner or Adrian Mannarino of France.

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