Alexander Zverev was forced to find a solution Wednesday, but did so in clinical fashion to book his spot in the third round at the Australian Open.
The second seed produced a measured performance to prevail 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 over Pedro Martinez and improve to 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Zverev adjusted well to the variety in the Spaniard’s game inside Rod Laver Arena, where he attacked the net with ease to win 77 per cent (23/30) of net points, according to Infosys Stats.
Two-time major finalist Zverev may not be satisfied with his unforced error count (22), but the nature of his victory will provide a confidence boost as he seeks to improve on last year’s run to the semi-finals. Last year in Melbourne, Zverev played 21 sets in the lead-up to his semi-final defeat to Daniil Medvedev, but he is yet to drop a set after two dominant triumphs to start this year’s campaign.
Martinez, the No. 44 in the PIF ATP Rankings, moved Zverev around with his crafty slice and effective use of the drop shot, but came unstuck by the ruthlessness of the German when under pressure. Zverev saved all six of the break points he faced en route to reaching the third round in Melbourne for an eighth time.
After a dazzling season last year, in which he returned to a career-high of World No. 2 and won ATP Masters 1000 titles in Rome and Paris, Zverev has made a statement start to 2025. The 27-year-old is now 4-0 after two victories at the United Cup in Perth.
