In the first round of the Australian Open, Canadian player Gabriel Diallo faced a challenging match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Despite a promising start, Diallo, currently ranked 41st, lost the match with set scores of 6-7 (1), 6-1, 6-4, and 6-2.
Match Highlights
Diallo began the match strong, breaking Zverev’s serve early to lead 3-1 in the first set. Although he eventually dropped the lead, he won the first five points in the tiebreak. However, Zverev, ranked third in the world, recovered quickly. He had previously reached the final of this Grand Slam but lost to Jannik Sinner last year.
Zverev’s Performance
- Zverev hit 15 aces during the match.
- He won 85% of points on his first serve.
- The second set took only 32 minutes, marking a shift in momentum.
Player Reactions
After the match, Zverev acknowledged Diallo’s talent. He described the match as challenging and noted that the first set was not his best. He remarked, “It can’t get worse,” referring to his initial performance.
Diallo struggled with his second serve, committing five double faults and winning only 38% of the points on it. This match marked the beginning of a new season for Diallo, who recently parted ways with long-time coach Martin Laurandeau.
Recent Matches and Future Prospects
Diallo entered this tournament with a record of three losses in four matches this season. Before facing Zverev, he lost to Coleman Wong in Hong Kong and Andrea Vavassori in Adelaide. Last year, he reached the second round in Melbourne, but he has yet to secure a victory against top 10 players on the ATP tour.
Following Diallo’s match, Canadian Liam Draxl, ranked 145th, also faced defeat against Damir Dzumhur from Bosnia. Draxl lost with scores of 7-5, 6-0, and 6-4.
Upcoming Matches
Dzumhur, who converted seven of his 12 break points, will face 20th-ranked Francisco Cerundolo in the next round. Other Canadian players, including Félix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Victoria Mboko, and Marina Stakusic, are also competing in the tournament.
