Alexander Zverev is through to the Cincinnati Open third round after a convincing performance in his opening round match.
The German was rarely troubled against young American star Nishesh Basavareddy, winning 6-3 6-3 on Sunday evening.
Zverev, who was defeated by Karen Khachanov in the Canadian Open semi-finals, is looking to capture his first ATP Masters 1000 title since the 2024 Paris Masters.
By defeating Basavareddy, Zverev moved a step closer to achieving this feat, while also setting a new generational record.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesAlexander Zverev has won the most ATP Masters 1000 matches of any player born in the 1990’s
Zverev, who was described by John McEnroe as the best ATP player to never win a Grand Slam title, broke new territory after defeating Basavareddy on Sunday.
As per OptaAce, Alexander Zverev has claimed a 156th match win at ATP Masters 1000 events, surpassing Grigor Dimitrov for the outright-most of any player born since the format’s introduction in 1990.
Dimitrov, who has won 155 Masters 1000 matches, has not been afforded the opportunity to extend his previously-held record after suffering a serious pectoral injury during his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon.
Five years ago, Zverev squandered a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem to lose the 2020 US Open final.
If he can register a strong run at the Cincinnati Open, the German will undoubtedly be a strong contender to challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for the US Open title.
History has proved that strong Cincinnati Open form can translate into success at the US Open. Both Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff won the US Open title in 2023 after winning the Cincinnati Open crown.
Zverev faces another American star
Alexander Zverev will face another young American star, who has become a stalwart on the ATP Tour in recent years.
Brandon Nakashima was pushed to the brink by Alexander Blockx. However, the 24-year-old pulled through, winning 4-6 6-3 7-6.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Nakashima, ranked 31 in the world, will have his work cut out for him against Zverev. The American has failed to win any of their four previous meetings.
The pair first met at the 2020 US Open, with Zverev winning in four sets. Their last meeting came at the 2025 Stuttgart Open, where Zverev won 7-5 6-4.