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Alexander Zverev: "I was prepared for everyone here to hate me after the match"
Photo: DAVE HUNT/EPA
Alexander Zverev has taken the second step in his title hunt at the Australian Open and still has his sights set on becoming the first German male professional since Boris Becker in 1996 to win a Grand Slam title.
The 24-year-old Olympic champion beat Australia's John Millman 6-4, 6-4, 6-0, reached the third round in Melbourne for the sixth time in a row - and felt a bit like a spoilsport afterwards.
"I was prepared for the fact that everyone here would hate me after the match and there would be a lot of boos," Zverev said with a smile after beating local hero Millman.
»It was an outstanding atmosphere.
And hopefully it will be even louder in the next matches.«
Eurosport expert Boris Becker saw Zverev “a clear increase over the first round.
It wasn't perfect yet, but it's the second round and Millman is a tough opponent."
After the involuntary departure of the prevented defending champion Novak Djokovic, to which Zverev failed in the quarterfinals last year, the Hamburger is one of the big title favorites alongside Daniil Medvedev and the 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
He now meets the qualifier Radu Albot from Moldova.
The 35-year-old Mallorcan Nadal proved his strong form in a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win against Karlsruhe's Yannick Hanfmann on Wednesday.
Koepfer and Otte already eliminated
In addition to Hanfmann, Dominik Koepfer and Oscar Otte are also eliminated.
Koepfer was beaten by the US service giant Reilly Opelka (No. 23) 4: 6, 3: 6, 6: 7 (4: 7), Otte missed the third round with a 6: 2, 2: 6, 3: 6 , 1:6 against the 25th seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
After Zverev, Philipp Kohlschreiber still has a chance to make it into round three against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut early on Thursday morning (around 5 a.m. / Eurosport).
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