Alexander Zverev's first serves reached over 130mph against Alexander Blockx, but the German's serve proved both potent and perplexing as he advanced to Wimbledon's second round with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0) victory.
Zverev's Serve Dominates but Wavers
Zverev, the No. 2 seed, sent down relentless first serves at 130mph-plus, finding the service court with 21 of 26 in the opening set and winning four of five second-serve points. However, his serve faltered at critical moments, including a double-fault on set point in the second-set tie-break and three double-faults in four points during the fourth set.
Blockx, a 21-year-old rising star from Belgium, kept pace until the ninth game of the first set but yielded a tentative service game to love. Despite Zverev's first-serve percentage reaching 82% in the second set, Blockx forced a tie-break without facing a break point.
Blockx's Resistance and Zverev's Recovery
Blockx, who reached the world's top 40 for the first time after a fine clay court season, capitalized on Zverev's lapses. After Zverev double-faulted on the second set point, Blockx earned three break points in the third set, but Zverev rebooted to win five consecutive points and take the tie-break 7-5.
In the fourth set, Zverev broke early but then sent down three double-faults in four points, allowing Blockx to break back. Zverev steadied himself to win the fourth-set tie-break to love.
Grass Allergy and Future Prospects
Zverev, who recently won his first Grand Slam at the French Open, revealed he has a grass allergy but did not use it as an excuse. "There are a lot of pills and a lot of sneezing and a lot of a stuffed nose," he said. "Unfortunately for me, but it's just how it is, I can't do anything about it and I'm dealing with it."
Reflecting on the match, Zverev said: "When I saw the draw, I thought, here we go again, same thing as last year. The way he's come up the rankings has been incredible to see. It's not difficult [to follow up on the win in Paris] but I just struggle on this beautiful court."
Looking Ahead
Zverev has never advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon and will need to cut out the wobbles to improve on that this year. He faces Valentin Royer in the second round.
