By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday September 2 2021
Alexander Zverev continues to progress with relative ease at the US Open.
Alexander Zverev is not only on a 13-match winning streak and the one player that seemingly has a shot to end Novak Djokovic’s quest for the calendar Slam at the US Open, he’s also learning how to win matches at the Grand Slams in short order.
Today the No.4-seeded German powered past Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 to book his spot in the third round at the Open, rifling 11 aces and 27 winners to win in a cool 74 minutes.
What was the rush? Zverev was asked by a reporter during his post-match press conference?
“I've got a Mets game to watch tonight,” he said.
The German did throw a BB to Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor after the win – perhaps he is contemplating a two-sport career.
For now he’ll have to be content with tennis. Zverev improved to 40-11 on the season and 15-6 at the US Open.
He’s happy that he’s learning how to get off the match court quicker in the first week of majors.
“I think it was always a problem of mine in the beginning of my career that I always spent a lot of hours, a lot of time in the beginning of Grand Slam tournaments,” he said. “So it's nice to have kind of two matches, I think I played two matches against two good players. I think Sam is a very good player on a hard court, has a lot of titles on hard courts, has beaten great guys here, winning that in straight sets. And Albert as well, Albert is somebody who causes a lot of trouble to top guys.
“For me, it's great to have that, and I'm in the third round now. I'm looking forward to, as I said, to what's ahead.”
Last year’s runner-up seems dead set on writing the wrongs of last year’s final that saw him blow a two sets to love lead against Dominic Thiem.
Djokovic’s potential semifinal opponent will step up next against either Jack Sock or Alexander Bublik in round three. With thirteen consecutive wins under his belt, Zverev may have never been more confident, and he’ll need all of that belief if he is to keep his winning streak going.
“I think obviously the process started at the Olympics for me, and the match against Novak,” he said. “That kind of started it off, because I was down badly, and I managed to win with great tennis.
“And also, I think it was very important for me to kind of back it up in Cincinnati, because a lot of the times players that for the first time in their career win something really big like a Grand Slam title or a gold medal, they do tend to go downhill a little bit. So it was important for me to go to Cincinnati, to a place where I have never won a match before this year, and have a great tournament.” Yeah, I'm looking forward to what's coming here, because opponents are not going to get easier, a lot of players are hungry. I think it's going to be a fun next ten days.