#NextGenATP Alexander Zverev, the No. 16 seed, worked hard to overcome former World No. 10 and qualifier Kevin Anderson, who is on the comeback trail from injury, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes on Tuesday for a place in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia second round.
Zverev, the leader of the Emirates ATP Race To Milan for a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals from 7-11 November, will now prepare for a second-round meeting against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki. The 20-year-old Zverev is 22-9 on the season, including two titles at the Open Sud de France (d. Gasquet) and the BMW Open by FWU (d. Pella).
"I'm excited about the [Milan] event," said Zverev. "I think the ATP has done a great job organising it, because we do have a strong group of guys who are playing great and who are getting up the [Emirates ATP] Rankings. I think it's going to be very interesting event."
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Earlier in the day, No. 13 seed Jack Sock recovered from a 1-3 deficit in the deciding set to knock out Diego Schwartzman 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in two hours and 10 minutes for a meeting against Jiri Vesely.
Tommy Haas, 39, became the oldest winner in Rome since 45-year-old Giuseppe Merlo in 1973 (d. Paish in 1R) after the 2002 runner-up (l. to Agassi) defeated #NextGenATP American Ernesto Escobedo, the lucky loser replacement for Ivo Karlovic, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6(1) in two hours and 23 minutes. Haas next faces fifth seed Milos Raonic.
The victor will face 12th seed Tomas Berdych, who became the 25th player in ATP World Tour history to record 600 match wins, when he lost just five of his first service points in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Carlos Berlocq in 87 minutes.
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