Zverev serves win over Sonego to advance to China Open second round

No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev showcased his serving prowess on the Diamond Court by beating Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-3 on Friday, Sept. 26, to advance to the 2025 China Open second round. After a first-set deadlock, the 28-year-old German was able to break down his Italian opponent with lethal first serves, rapid returns and imposing play. 

This is Zverev’s sixth appearance in the China Open. He reached the semi-finals three times. Coming into this match, he had won all five prior meetings with Sonego. Zverev has had mixed success this season as the World No. 3-ranked player, reaching the final of the Australian Open but unable to progress past the quarterfinals in any other Grand Slam. He was knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round by World No. 72-ranked Arthur Rinderknech, and his lone title this season came in Munich, where he beat Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-4. He has cited mental fatigue multiple times throughout the tour. Despite the setbacks, Zverev took his latest win with style and confidence.  

In the first set Zverev was concise and clinical with his first serves, achieving 93% first-serve accuracy and winning 76% of those points. Sonego, by comparison, only won 58% of his first serves but found success through his resilience and clever play, winning Game 4 with a drop shot and battling past three deuces to win Game 6. The set remained even until the 10th game. At 15-30, Sonego’s drop shot failed. Zverev then closed in and won the set point from close range.

Zverev continued to serve well in the second set, this time winning 81% of his first-serve points. He steamrolled through the early part of this set, winning Games 1 and 3 to love and breaking serve twice. He repeatedly approached the net to win points and drove fast, powerful shots across the court to finish games. In Game 7, Zverev was up 5-1 with a 30-0 lead. It looked like a second set demolition job was on course, but a Zverev error allowed Sonego a point. The crowd roared for Sonego as he rallied back point after point to break Zverev’s serve and hold serve in Game 8. In Game 9, it was again Zverev’s strong serving that allowed him to close out the set, winning match point with an ace.

Zverev now advances to the second round, where he will face World No. 37 Corentin Moutet, of France, who comes off a win against Dutch opponent Tallon Griekspoor. Moutet achieved his highest ATP ranking last week after a semifinal appearance in Hangzhou.

— Reporting by Luca Giordano