ATP Geneva: Alexander Zverev eases past Gulbis. Grigor Dimitrov loses again
World no. 5 Alexander Zverev has made late Geneva entrance after another early loss in Rome, hoping to play more matches and build form ahead of Roland Garros that starts on Sunday. In the second round, the German took down Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 6-1 in 65 minutes, struggling on the second serve but playing better in the pivotal moments to oust the Latvian and grab the 16th win of the season. Facing nine break points, Alexander repelled eight and scored five breaks from eight opportunities to control the scoreboard and march into the quarters, the fourth in 2019.
It wasn't the best start for the German, though, spraying a backhand error in game three to send Ernests in front before pulling the break back a few minutes later after a backhand mistake from the Latvian. Zverev saved another break point in game five and scored another break to move 4-2 up, closing the set in game eight following another backhand error from Gulbis who got broken for the third straight time. Fending off four break points at the beginning of the second set, Alexander had the upper hand in the remaining games, breaking in game two when Gulbis netted a forehand and extending the lead to 5-1 with a volley winner.
Serving for the triumph, Zverev hit four winners in game seven to book the place in the quarter-final in no time at all, facing Janko Tipsarevic or Hugo Dellien in the battle for the semis. Former world no. 3 Grigor Dimitrov will enter Roland Garros with nine wins, qualifying for the main draw in Geneva but losing in the first round to Federico Delbonis 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 36 minutes. Landing 70% of the first serve in, the Bulgarian barely won a point on the second serve and suffered five breaks from as many chances offered to the Argentinian, taking the same number of points but not the most important ones.
Grigor made the best possible start, serving well in the opening set and bringing it home with breaks in games two and four. With no room for errors, Delbonis broke in the tenth game of the second set when Dimitrov sprayed a forehand error and never looked back, delivering three breaks in the decider to seal the deal after a volley mistake from the Bulgarian in the eighth game. Joao Sousa prevailed against Leonardo Mayer 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 in two hours and 17 minutes, never losing serve and keeping the pressure on the Argentinian who couldn't stay in touch in sets one and three despite a solid effort.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas ousted the 6th seed Adrian Mannarino 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, overcoming the first set loss and playing against only one break points in the rest of the encounter to leave the home player behind and improve his tally to 13-13.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2YCYBSP
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