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In a battle of coevals and good friends, Alexander Zverev took down Alexander Bublik 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours in the Monte Carlo Masters opening round. Zverev came to Monte Carlo after early exits in Indian Wells and Miami, eager to embrace a deep run in his first clay-court event since that terrible injury against Rafael Nadal at the last year's Roland Garros.
Bublik hit seven aces and ten double faults, playing well in the first and third sets before ending on the losing side after Zverev's late break in the decider. He faced 17 break points and experienced six breaks. Zverev played against six break points and got broken four times to emerge at the top and move closer to his 350th ATP win.
The German hit 21 winners and 22 unforced errors, heading to the net and outplaying his opponent in the shortest range up to four strokes. Bublik fired 21 service winners, including an underarm one. However, he poured almost 40 mistakes to experience another early loss and hit the exit door.
Alexander Zverev made a winning start in Monte Carlo.
The German sprayed a backhand error in the encounter's fourth game to lose serve and fall behind. He seized the fourth break chance in the next game after the Kazakh's backhand mistake to pull the break back.
Zverev played another loose service game and sent a smash miles away from the court to fall 4-2 behind. Bublik produced two fine holds and wrapped up the opener with a volley winner at the net at 5-3 after 39 minutes. Zverev made a fresh start in the second set, producing two excellent holds and a break in game two for 3-0.
The lower-ranked player pulled the break back in game five after Zverev's wayward backhand before struggling behind the initial shot again at 2-3. The German created five break opportunities and earned the last after the rival's double fault to open a 4-2 gap.
Bublik served to prolong the set at 2-5 and netted a routine forehand drive-volley to hand the set to Zverev and lose ground. They traded breaks in the third set's games four and five before the German experienced another loose service game at 3-3.
He saved them with fine attacks and brought the game home for a crucial hold. Bublik served to stay in the encounter at 4-5 and faced three match points after a double fault. He played a wayward drop shot on the third to hand the game and the victory to Zverev, followed by a friendly chat at the net.