Alexander Zverev Makes Triumphant Comeback with Straight-Sets Win at ATP Toronto Masters

Alexander Zverev made a strong return after a month-long break from tennis, defeating Adam Walton 7-6(6), 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the third round of the ATP Toronto Masters.

After a first-round exit at Wimbledon and time off due to mental burnout, Zverev visited Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca for consultation and possible career advice.

The world number three came back from 4-1 down in the first set tiebreaker and didn’t face a break point until serving for the match at 5-3. Though he was broken, he immediately broke back, with Walton double-faulting on match point.

Zverev’s victory featured a 52-shot rally and marked his 499th career tour-level win. “Sometimes it’s about winning a match, [despite] not always playing your best,” Zverev said.

“I know it wasn’t the prettiest match, for sure, but I haven’t played a match in four weeks. I took some time off, which I needed also for myself. I’m happy to be playing again.”

The 2017 Canadian champion now faces Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, who advanced by beating Tristan Schoolkate 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Zverev leads their head-to-head 1-0, with their only meeting coming in Acapulco.

Musetti and Rune Cruise into Third Round

Third seed Lorenzo Musetti and fifth seed Holger Rune both earned comfortable straight-set victories. Musetti dispatched Australian qualifier James Duckworth 7-5, 6-1 in just 82 minutes, breaking serve for a 5-1 lead on a double fault and closing with an ace.

After early summer losses, Musetti found rhythm again. He struck 17 winners while Duckworth struggled with over 30 unforced errors. Musetti will next face American Alex Michelsen, who beat Tomas Barrios Vera 7-6(5), 6-3.

Rune, playing his first match since a first-round Wimbledon exit, defeated France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(3), 6-3.

“It was a very tricky first match for me, he’s a big server and not a lot of rhythm in the match,” said Rune. “I had to really take care of my own serve, and then just look for the opportunities.”

Rune, ranked world number nine, kept his unforced errors to just 10, less than half of Perricard’s tally. The Danish player earned his first hardcourt win since Indian Wells in March and handed Perricard his fourth career loss against top 10 players.

Ruud and Medvedev Advance; Shapovalov Falls Again

Number eight seed Casper Ruud made quick work of Roman Safiullin, winning 6-3, 6-3. The Norwegian will face Nuno Borges next, who rallied from a set down to defeat Facundo Bagnis 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2.

Tenth seed Daniil Medvedev progressed with a 7-6(4), 6-4 win over lucky loser Dalibor Svrcina, a match that featured more than 40 unforced errors. He now faces Alexei Popyrin, who beat local wildcard Nicolas Arseneault 7-6(2), 6-3.

Canadian Denis Shapovalov’s home woes continued as he lost 7-6(4), 7-5 to Learner Tien. Shapovalov served for the second set at 5-4 but dropped the next three games.

Tien, ranked third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, reached the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.

Other Highlights from Toronto

In other notable results, 11th seed Karen Khachanov defeated Argentina’s Juan Pablo Ficovich 6-4, 6-2. American Reilly Opelka, a finalist in Toronto in 2021, outlasted 16th seed Tomas Machac 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-3 behind 24 aces.

Francisco Cerundolo, the 14th seed, overcame Jaume Munar in a lengthy contest, winning 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 in nearly three hours. Meanwhile, Tomas Martin Etcheverry upset 24th seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-6(4).

Big Names Missing From the Draw

The tournament is missing top-ranked Jannik Sinner and number two Carlos Alcaraz due to injuries and fatigue. Despite their absence, the event continues to deliver strong competition with Zverev, Musetti, Rune, and Medvedev in form and aiming for the title.

As the tournament heads into the deeper rounds, all eyes will be on Zverev’s continued resurgence and the performance of the younger players eager to make their mark in Toronto.