Alexander Zverev. (AP Photo)
Zverev defeated the French wildcard, Pouille, with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena . Pouille himself reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2019, losing to the eventual champion, Novak Djokovic. He achieved a straight-sets victory against Lucas Pouille .
This win marks the beginning of Zverev’s campaign to surpass his semi-final appearance in last year’s tournament. Alexander Zverev , currently ranked second in the world, advanced to the second round of the Australian Open on Sunday.
He broke Pouille’s serve for a 3-2 lead in the first set and maintained this advantage. He then achieved a decisive break at 3-3 in the third set. He closed out the match with his 18th ace, accumulating a total of 40 winners.
“He is definitely better than his ranking,” said Zverev, who also made the semis in 2020. Zverev maintained control throughout the match against the 103rd-ranked Pouille. He sealed the first set with a cross-court forehand. In the second set, Zverev again broke Pouille’s serve in the opening game, increasing the pressure on the Frenchman. Errors began to appear in Pouille’s game. This break proved sufficient for Zverev to secure the second set.
“He is a great player. I wish him health. He is definitely going to be back up the rankings very soon.”