Zverev follows up huge 18-year-old campaign with birthday win

Not many players have ever been better than Alexander Zverev before turning 19 years old. The German won 30 ATP-level matches prior to his 19th birthday, which he celebrated on Wednesday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

In fact, only seven players own more than 30 such victories. Rafael Nadal is the all-time leader with 90 wins (90-33) before he turned 19. Three other players ahead of Zverev in this department are current: Richard Gasquet, Juan Matin Del Potro, and Roger Federer.

As an 18-year-old, Zverev won 25 ATP-level matches (25-22 record). That impressive number included two semifinal finishes and two other quarterfinal performances. His first five wins came as a 17-year-old.

Zverev is 1-0 as a 19-year-old after holding off Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5 in the Barcelona second round. The world No. 51 prevailed after two hours and 28 minutes. He twice gave back a break in the second set and failed to serve out the match at 6-5, but he also recovered from a 3-1 deficit in the third. Zverev received a birthday cake from tournament director Albert Costa during his post-match press conference.

“This is the best birthday present,” Zverev commented. “I have never played a tournament on my birthday before.”

Zverev, who began this week by taking out compatriot Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-3, will face Malek Jaziri for a spot in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Jaziri has advanced out of a section of the draw vacated by No. 4 seed Richard Gasquet, who withdrew due to injury.

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