ROME: German tennis star Alexander Zverev swatted aside Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 6-1 to make a strong start to the defence of his Masters title in Rome on Friday.
The number two seed won the Munich tournament last month but has not gone beyond the quarter-finals at any other event since he lost the Australian Open final in January to Jannik Sinner.
But he looked in fine fettle under the lights in the Eternal City to set up a meeting with Lithuanian qualifier Vilius Gaubas, who shocked Denis Shapovalov.
Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, Lorenzo Musetti, Jack Draper and Stefanos Tsitsipas were other notable men's winners in Friday.
Top seed Sinner, making his comeback from a three-month doping ban,makes his bow in front of the Italian home fans on Saturday against Mariano Navone.
Among the women, world number one Aryna Sabalenka made quick work of Anastasia Potapova to cruise through 6-2, 6-2 in her Rome opener.
The Madrid champion extended her winning streak to seven matches on clay and looks in good form for the French Open starting on May 25.
There were also wins at the Foro Italico for the likes of Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and Emma Raducanu. — dpa
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