Alexander “Sascha” Zverev shrugged off the challenge of Federico Delbonis at the Monte Carlo Masters to progress to Rd. of 16.
Taking the court as the highest-ranked player remaining at the Monte Carlo Masters, second-seeded Zverev lived up to the billing with a 6-1, 7-5 win.
Seeking his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title, and his fourth on the European clay, the German was tested by World No. 34 but used a late surge to prevent another upset on the day.
After losing the first four points of the match on the return, Zverev snapped into gear to win six straight games as he breezed through the opening set, dropping just three points on serve.
Zverev found the range with his powerful strokes, keeping Delbonis pinned back in the rallies and using his 6-foot-6 frame to great effect in defense.
But Delbonis again tested the German by starting strongly in set two, breaking at love before a mid-set trade of breaks left him leading 3-2.
As errors began to creep into the Zverev ground game, Delbonis had a point for 5-2 but could not convert, leaving the door open for his opponent. And Zverev took full advantage by winning 11 straight points to move within a game of victory.
The Argentine saved a match point at 4-5 and another at 5-6, but netted a backhand at the third time of asking.
Aggressive from the start, the German finished with 18 winners and 36 unforced errors while converting six of 11 breakpoints.
The World No. 3 will face Pablo Carreno Busta for a spot in the quarter-finals after the Spaniard advanced via a third-set retirement against Alexander Bublik.
Sascha Zverev has a big opportunity to move within striking distance of the top spot in the ATP Rankings following the early exit of Novak Djokovic and the injury absence of Daniil Medvedev.
The German would inch within 125 points of Medvedev and 235 points of World No. 1 Djokovic with a sixth ATP Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo.
