Australian Open: Zverev passes Federer in the rankings. Pouille prevails
The 4th seed Alexander Zverev is through to the last 16 at Melbourne Park for the first time, scoring an easy 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Alex Bolt in an hour and 52 minutes. This was the 25th win for the young German and it gives him enough points to move ahead of Roger Federer in the rankings and become world no. 3 again on January 28 regardless of their final results here in Melbourne. Standing as one of the lowest-ranked players in the draw together with Alexei Popyrin, Bolt had to survive four match points against Gilles Simon two days ago and he had nothing left in the tank to challenger the German, losing 45% of the points in his games and giving serve away six times from 12 opportunities Zverev created.
Sascha fired 14 aces and had to drop serve only once from six chances given to Bolt, controlling the pace from start to finish with 29 winners and 26 unforced errors. A forehand winner pushed the ATP Finals champion in front already in the opening game before Bolt came back with a break in game six when he forced an error from Sascha. The youngster moved ahead in the very next game with a backhand down the line winner before sealing the set with a third break in game nine for a 6-3. Alex stayed in touch in the first half of the second set before spraying a forehand error in the eighth game to push Zverev 5-3 up, wasting a break point in the next game to fall two sets to love down.
Sascha struggled a bit on his serve in the third set although he managed to save all break points and keep the pressure on Alex, breaking him twice before holding at love with a service winner at 5-2 for the place in the last 16. Borna Coric was forced to leave Melbourne after the very first match in the previous four years and his fortune changed drastically this week, ousting Filip Krajinovic 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 43 minutes to enter the fourth round, winning just three points more than the Serb and securing the win with five breaks of serve.
The 28th seed Lucas Pouille needed three hours and 43 minutes to overcome a stern test from a teenager Alexei Popyrin, prevailing 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3 for the best result in Melbourne, losing in the opening round in the previous five years! The youngster gave his best to perform a comeback, firing as many aces as Pouille and producing similar performances on the first serve and also the same number of winners. Still, the Frenchman played better on the second serve and he made a fewer number of unforced errors, scoring three breaks of serve in a mighty close encounter to avoid an upset and bring the match home after solid tennis in the decider.
Third round results:
[11]Borna Coric (CRO) vs Filip Krajinovic (SRB) 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-3 [4]Alexander Zverev (GER) vs [WC]Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-3 6-3 6-2 [28]Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs [WC]Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 7-6(3) 6-3 6-7(10) 4-6 6-3
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2U26ij4
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