CINCINNATI, August 16, 2018
Alexander Zverev lost his opening match at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday. Top Dutchman Robin Haase rallied past the 21-year-old German star, who has won three titles and leads the ATP World Tour with 43 match wins this season, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
Ahead of the encounter, Haase improved his career record against Top 10 opponents to 7-2. His last win came over Zverev last November. The World No. 55 struck seven aces and gained one break more than his opponent to prevail after two hours and 25 minutes.
Upset Special 🙌 @robin_haase knocks off No.3-seeded Alexander Zverev 5-7 6-4 7-5 for his first Top 10 win of the season. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/I5o6T3Ge0x
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 15. August 2018
“Physically, mentally, and game-wise I was there [in my past two matches against Zverev]. We have to be a little bit lucky, as well, against these top guys. Nowadays against Top 10, 20 and maybe Top 50 players you have to be a little bit lucky,” said Haase.
“But I think I played well. Today my returns were really, really good. I think the first serve he hit at me was 136mph and I just hit it right back. I was good from my side.”
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1) Rain came to the Western & Southern Open late Wednesday and suspended three singles matches. These three matches are scheduled to be played Thursday afternoon, and the winners are due to play their next match Thursday evening. The matches that were held over are:
ATP – Hyeon Chung (Korea) vs [4] Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) 0-0
WTA – [1] Simona Halep (Romania) vs [Q] Ajla Tomljanovic (Australia) 4-6 6-3 4-3
WTA – [WC] Amanda Anisimova (USA) vs [Q] Petra Martic (Croatia) 5-4
2) It’s guaranteed a new women’s champion will raise this year’s Western & Southern Open Rookwood Cup now that previous champions Garbiñe Mugurza (’17), Karolina Pliskova (’16), Serena Williams (’15, ’14) and Victoria Azarenka (’13) have each been eliminated. Four of this year’s top-five seeds, No. 1 Simona Halep, No. 3 Sloane Stephens, No. 4 Angelique Kerber and No. 5 Elina Svitolina are in Round of 16 action today.
3) Five-time Western & Southern Open finalist Novak Djokovic faces defending champion Grigor Dimitrov Thursday afternoon on Center Court. Djokovic leads the head-to-head 7-1, and has taken five straight in the series since Dimitrov’s win at Madrid in 2013.
QUICK READ
Racquet bags and luggage aren’t the only items the world’s best tennis players pack for the Western & Southern Open each summer. They also bring unique opinions and perspectives about life, rollercoasters and Greater Cincinnati. Check out some of the most colorful comments heard around the Lindner Family Tennis Center here.
FUN FACT
Patrons visiting this year’s Western & Southern Open will enjoy an estimated 3,150 minutes of live music performed by 35 regional bands.
MUST WATCH
Defending champion Grigor Dimitrov visited Cincinnati’s Rookwood Pottery to see how the Western & Southern Open’s Rookwood Cup trophy is made, and to try his hand at a clay creation. Click here to see his visit.
RESULTS – Wednesday, August 15, 2018
ATP Singles – Second Round
Robin Haase (Netherlands) d [3] Alexander Zverev (Germany) 5-7 6-4 7-5
[5] Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) d Mischa Zverev 7-6(5) 7-5
[6] Kevin Anderson (South Africa) d Jeremy Chardy (France) 7-6(6) 6-2
[7] Marin Cilic (Croatia) d [Q] Marius Copil (Romania) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4
[10] Novak Djokovic (Serbia) d. Adrian Mannarino (France) 4-6 6-2 6-1
[11] David Goffin (Belgium) d Benoit Paire (France) 5-7 6-4 6-2
[13] Pablo Carreno Busta d [Q] Bradley Klahn (USA) 4-6 4-6
[15] Nick Kyrgios (Australia) d Borna Coric (Croatia) 7-6(1) 0-6 6-3
Karen Khachanov (Russia) d Sam Querrey (USA) 7-5 6-4
[WC] Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) d Kei Nishikori (Japan) 6-4 6-4
Marton Fucsovics (Hungary) d Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5
Milos Raonic (Canada) d [LL] Malek Jaziri (Tunisia) 6-3 7-5
WTA Singles – Second Round
Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) d Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-4 ret. (left knee)
[3] Sloane Stephens (USA) d [Q] Tatjana Maria (Germany) 6-3 6-2
[4] Angelique Kerber (Germany) d Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 4-6 7-5 6-4
[7] Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) d Garbiñe Muguruza (Spain) 2-6 6-4 6-4
Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) d [9] Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 2-6 6-3 7-5
[13] Madison Keys (USA) d Camila Giorgi (Italy) 6-2 6-2
[15] Elise Mertens (Belgium) d [Q] Rebecca Peterson (Sweden) 3-6 6-2 7-6(1)
[16] Ashleigh Barty (Australia) d [Q] Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 7-5 6-3
Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) d Maria Sakkari (Greece) 6-1 6-3
Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) d [Q] Alizé Cornet (France) 6-2 6-0
ATP Doubles – First Round
Ivan Dodig (Croatia) / Robin Haase (Netherlands) d Artem Sitak (New Zealand) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) 6-4 7-5(5) [10-6]
ATP Doubles – Second Round
Juan Sebastian Cabal (Columbia) / Robert Farah (Columbia) d Ben McLachlan (Japan) / Matwe Middelkoop (Netherlands) 7-5 6-3
Jamie Murray (Great Britain) / Bruno Soares (Brazil) d Ryan Harrison (USA) / Nicholas Monroe (USA) 6-4 7-6(10)
Feliciano Lopez (Spain) / Marc Lopez (Spain) d Mike Bryan (USA) / Jack Sock (USA) 6-3 6-0
WTA Doubles – Second Round
Elise Mertens (Belgium) / Demi Schuurs (Netherlands) d Jennifer Brady (USA) / Caroline Dolehide (USA) 7-6(5) 5-7 10-7
Andreja Klepac (Slovenia) / Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) d Alize Cornet (France) / Aleksandra Krunic (Serbia) 5-7 6-4 10-2
[3] Andrea Sestini Hlavackova (Czech Republic) / Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic) d Nadiia Kichenok (Ukraine) / Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) 6-2 ret. (Rodionova – left calf)
