Alexander Zverev beats Alexander Blockx for the second time in nine days

ROME – Alexander Zverev kept up his bid for a third Italian Open title with a straight-set last-32 win over Alexander Blockx, 6-1, 6-4 on centre court at Foro Italico on May 10.

It was his second win over the Belgian in nine days.

The German world No. 3 had downed Blockx in straight sets in the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid on May 2, before being well beaten by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final.

“I think it was difficult to play pretty tennis from the baseline today because the conditions were not easy – it was very windy. But overall, I am very happy,” said Zverev, who beat compatriot Daniel Altmaier in his opener in the Italian capital.

“There’s a lot of young guys who are playing great tennis. He’s (Blockx) definitely one of them.”

Second seed Zverev, 29, will face either American Tommy Paul or Italy’s Luciano Darderi in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Dino Prizmic followed up on knocking out Novak Djokovic by beating France’s Ugo Humbert 6-1, 7-5 to reach the last 16 in Rome.

Croat Prizmic had to qualify for the main draw but looks like he could be a contender after another brilliant display of power and precision on clay.

The 20-year-old raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set, which he closed out in just 28 minutes against a shell-shocked Humbert, who is seeded 31st.

Such was Prizmic’s dominance in the first set that he could even afford to try a trick shot between his legs and give up a point in game 6.

Humbert battled back in the second set but after he gave up his serve for the third time in game 11, Prizmic closed out the match on his second match point.

After his superb performance on the Pietrangeli court, Prizmic will face Russian Karen Khachanov or Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the next round.

Said Prizmic: “Maybe for me the goal is to be top 30 at the end of the year, but I just want to stay healthy and to play as much as I can.”

In the women’s draw, Czech lucky loser Nikola Bartunkova defeated former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to reach the last 16 of a WTA 1000 event for the first time.

She will next face seventh seed Elina Svitolina after the Ukrainian beat Hailey Baptiste, semi-finalist in Madrid, 6-1, 6-2. Svitolina, who won in Rome in 2017 and 2018, needed just 67 minutes to avenge her third-round loss to the American in Miami in March.

She hit 11 winners and made just four unforced errors on May 10, winning 75 per cent of her first serve and 76.2 per cent on her second serve.

Later, 15th seed Naomi Osaka of Japan dropped just three games against 19th seeded Russian Diana Shnaider in another 6-1, 6-2 win.

She will next face Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto or Poland’s six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

On May 9, Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open preparations suffered a setback following a third-round 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat by Sorana Cirstea in Rome, with the world No. 1 now looking to shake off an injury ahead of the Grand Slam that begins on May 24.

Sabalenka, 28, who needed treatment late in the match, said: “I felt like my body was limiting me from performing at the highest level. She stepped in and played incredible tennis. She didn’t really give me many opportunities.”

“I’d say that probably it’s like my lower back, connected to the hip, which limited my full rotation.

“I guess we’re just going to have some days off. We’re going to spend it on recovery. That’s the plan for now.” AFP, REUTERS