By Chris Oddo | Monday October 10, 2016
Alexander Zverev’s breakout 2016 continued without a speedbump on Monday in Shanghai as the 19-year-old German marched past American John Isner, 6-4, 6-2. The World No.21 notches his 41st victory of the season and keeps alive his quest to become the first ATP teenager to finish a season inside the Top 20 since 2006.
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Zverev saved five of six break points, including three at a crucial juncture of the first set to hold for 4-4.
The German then broke in the next game and closed out the set winning 14 of the last 17 points.
Zverev quickly broke Isner in the first game of the second set and added an insurance break for 5-2 when an Isner backhand sailed long. Zverev closed affairs in 68 minutes by ripping a forehand winner crosscourt.
He finished with 28 winners against 17 unforced errors, including eight backhand winners to just one for Isner.
In other action on Day 1 of the Shanghai Masters, No.9-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga punched past Florian Mayer, 6-3, 6-2, to claim his first match since the U.S. Open. American qualifier Taylor Fritz won his second career match at the Masters 1000 level by defeating 36-year-old Frenchman Stephane Robert, 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3.
Benoit Paire knocked off Joao Sousa, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, while British qualifier Kyle Edmund upset Federico Delbonis, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Here are all the Day 1 results at Shanghai: