New York: Alexander Zverev got the better of older brother Mischa at the Citi Open in Washington on Thursday, winning their first meeting at an ATP Tour event 6-3 7-5.
World number three and top seed Alexander, 21, broke Mischa, 30, three times en route to a victory that sets up a quarterfinal with seventh seed Kei Nishikori, who dispatched Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov 7-6(1) 6-3.
Despite the loss, Mischa said it was a match he would always remember.
“After the coin toss I had tears in my eyes because it felt so special,” he added.
“I wondered what are my parents thinking right now. I needed a few seconds to bite my tongue and focus.”
The younger Zverev said he hoped to see his brother across the net again in the future.
“I hope this is not the last time. I hope we play a final one day,” said Alexander, the tournament’s defending champion.
Scot Andy Murray broke down in tears after coming from behind to defeat Marius Copil 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(4) in a marathon third-round match that lasted more than three hours.
Murray, the former world number one who is attempting to return to the top of the tennis world after undergoing hip surgery in January, overcame 20 aces by Copil to advance to the quarterfinals, where he will face Australian Alex de Minaur.
Earlier in the evening de Minaur benefited from a poor serving performance by Chung Hyeon, who double faulted seven times and won just 56 per cent of his first serves, to advance 6-2 4-6 6-2. — Reuters
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