Zverev Completes R3 Win, Sets Medvedev Clash In Rome

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Despite an overnight break in play, Alexander Zverev expertly retained his focus to complete a third-round victory against J.J. Wolf on Tuesday at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.

With his 6-4, 7-5 victory, the 19th-seeded German set a blockbuster fourth-round clash against Daniil Medvedev. The pair’s 15th tour-level meeting will take place later on Tuesday at Rome's Foro Italico.

We will be there no matter what. 🔥@AlexZverev ⚔️ @DaniilMedwed@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/BJFAJj3WUz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 16, 2023

Zverev had led Wolf 6-4, 3-3 when rain interrupted their maiden tour-level meeting on Monday evening. Upon resumption, neither player forged any break point opportunities until Zverev broke the American to love in the 11th game, and the 26-year-old held firm behind serve to wrap a one-hour, 49-minute triumph.

Zverev offered only one break point in the match against the World No. 54 Wolf, and the 2017 Rome champion will hope for a repeat serving performance as he bids for his first tour-level victory against Medvedev since 2021. The third seed leads Zverev 8-6 in their ATP Head2Head rivalry, including fourth-round ATP Masters 1000 victories in Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo already this year.

Stefanos Tsitsipas joined Zverev in the fourth round by completing a 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph against Lorenzo Sonego.

The fifth-seeded Greek and home favourite Sonego had been forced off court by the rain after the first set on Monday evening. When they returned on Tuesday, the pair played out a tense second set full of extended baseline exchanges and no breaks of serve, although Tsitsipas was forced to save a set point when serving at 4-5 and again at 5-6.

It was 2022 finalist Tsitsipas who kept his cool in the tie-break to advance however, as he reeled off five points in a row from 2/3 to clinch a two-hour, seven-minute triumph.

Tsitsipas will have to beat a second Italian in the space of a day at the Foro Italico if he wants to advance to the quarter-finals. The 24-year-old’s fourth round opponent will be Lorenzo Musetti, who consolidated his overnight 3-2 lead in the deciding set against Frances Tiafoe to seal a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 third-round win in Rome.