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Germany's Alexander Zverev defeated Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik after a grueling match decided by 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, and 7-6 (7-1) yesterday, Tuesday, at the Shanghai Masters 1000 tennis tournament, securing his first win since guaranteeing he would finish the year at the top of the world rankings.
The 29-year-old German will meet Australian Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals after the latter defeated Russia's Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
«It was a very difficult match,» Zverev said.
Addressing the crowd, he added, «I had some physical issues, so maybe I was a bit slower.»
In an on-court interview, Zverev explained without giving details, «Unfortunately, my ankle was bothering me again.»
He continued, «I started to feel my body more, but I am happy to qualify.»
Zverev, currently ranked second in the world, had secured the year-end world number one spot after Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, ranked third, lost to Belgium's Zizou Bergs in Shanghai on Monday.
Zverev described this achievement as «something special,» saying that the feeling is different from winning tournaments, adding that he looks forward to the responsibility that comes with this status.
Neither player was able to trouble the other much in the first set, as they traded aces and held their serves.
However, Zverev found himself under pressure when he had to save a set point that would have given his opponent the set, before forcing a tie-break.
He kept his composure while Bublik squandered three consecutive set points, allowing Zverev to clinch the first set with a powerful forehand at the net.
But that momentum stalled when Bublik broke the German's serve in the fifth game of the second set. Despite some decisive backhands, Zverev looked grim and unable to avoid going to a third deciding set.
The players soon found themselves in another tie-break, but this time Zverev surged to a 6-1 lead before closing out the match with an ace.
Cazaux's adventure continues
France's Arthur Cazaux, ranked 56th in the world, qualified after defeating 15th-seeded Czech Jakub Mensik 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, continuing his strong performances after eliminating American Ben Shelton in the third round.
The 21-year-old, participating for the first time in the main draw of a Masters 1000 tournament, said, «I was ready to go far in a big tournament like this, but achieving big results, like beating Shelton and then what I achieved today, is always fun.»
He added, «I wanted to redeem myself after the US Open, after I went out in the same round, the round of 16. I wanted to go far this week, and things have started to go well indeed, but I hope to continue in this vein.»
In the next round, Cazaux will face 26th-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich, who in turn defeated Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), as the Frenchman seeks to reach the semi-finals in an unprecedented achievement in his career.
Cazaux continues to steal the spotlight in his first participation in a Masters 1000 tournament, after achieving a remarkable victory in the third round over Shelton, the runner-up of the last edition of Flushing Meadows.
The victory over Shelton was the first in his career against a top-ten player in the world rankings.
Cazaux is experiencing a special period, having won the Granby Challenger title in July, before reaching the final of the Mexican Los Cabos tournament the following week at the ATP level.
He also reached the round of 16 at the US Open after coming through qualifying with six victories, repeating the same achievement at the Beijing tournament the week before the Shanghai tournament.
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