Alexander Zverev continued his strong form at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events this season, beating Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-2 at the Rolex Paris Masters on Thursday.
A winner of three ATP World Tour trophies this season, Zverev has now reached the quarter-finals or better at seven of the nine Masters 1000 events in 2018. The 21-year-old German won 84 per cent of first-serve points (32/38) and saved all four break points he faced to move into the quarter-finals after 81 minutes. With a 54-17 tour-level record this year, Zverev is now just one match win away from equalling his personal best total of 55 victories achieved in 2017.
Schwartzman ends his season with a 33-25 record. Without dropping a set, the 26-year-old Argentine captured his first ATP World Tour 500 title in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year.
Zverev will meet Russia’s Karen Khachanov for a place in the semi-finals. Zverev leads Khachanov 2-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, which includes a five-set win at Roland Garros this year.
[embedded content]
Karen Khachanov ended John Isner‘s bid to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in dramatic fashion, saving two match points to beat the 33-year-old American 6-4, 6-7(9), 7-6(8). The World No. 18, who held three match points in the second-set tie-break, regrouped well in the decider, dropping just five service points (32/37) to advance after two hours and 28 minutes.
Khachanov now moves into his seventh tour-level quarter-final of the season and second at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. Earlier this season, the 22-year-old reached the Rogers Cup semi-finals, falling in straight sets to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.
Isner was aiming to advance to the quarter-finals in Paris for the fourth straight year and maintain his hopes of making his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in London. The 2016 runner-up ends his season with a 34-19 tour-level record. Isner lifted two tour-level crowns this season, winning the biggest title of his career at the Miami Open presented by Itaú and his fifth BB&T Atlanta Open trophy.
Be the first to comment