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Alexander Zverev: breaking down his opener at Melbourne Park

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: Alexander Zverev of Russia serves during a practice session ahead of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 11, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: Alexander Zverev of Russia serves during a practice session ahead of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 11, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) /
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Alexander Zverev is the fourth seed in men’s singles this year at the Australian Open. Here’s a look at the young German’s opening round match.

Alexander Zverev has a lot to live up to on the 2018 ATP World Tour.

His last year saw him launch his young career to new heights. Finishing atop the Next Generation ATP rankings, Zverev performed so well throughout the tour that he qualified instead for the ATP Finals in London. He even won two Masters 1000 titles on the year. Now, the pressure is on at the first Grand Slam of the calendar year.

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The young Sascha Zverev finds himself up against Italian veteran tennis player Thomas Fabbiano. The two have never faced one another on the ATP World Tour. That comes as no surprise given Zverev is just 20-years-old whereas Fabbiano is 28-years-old.

Last year, Thomas Fabbiano dropped his opener at Melbourne Park.

The Italian tennis player has never reached the second round of play at the Australian Open. Last year, as a qualifier, he fell to American Donald Young in his Australian opener. This provides some hope for the younger German tennis star.

Not only is Zverev the current world No. 4 in men’s singles tennis, but he has already seen some success at the Grand Slam event throughout his young career. Last year, Zverev reached the third round of play at Melbourne Park. Since he experienced several big tournament titles and runs following the Australian Open in 2017, he has gained some much needed experience heading into 2018 action. The young German ultimately fell to runner-up finisher Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Australian Open.

Next: AusOpen: Top 3 Men's Picks

As Nadal is the top seed this year, he and Roger Federer remain the favorites. Players such as Alexander Zverev, however, remain amongst the top contenders. If the German can snag a Grand Slam title on the 2018 ATP World Tour, he will undoubtedly lead the way for this new generation in men’s singles. Zverev could stand out above others such as ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov, Jack Sock, or Dominic Thiem to name a few if he can earn that prized Grand Slam title. Stay tuned to see how Zverev fares in his Australian opening round match against Fabbiano.

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