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Boris Becker showered praise upon Alexander Zverev following his victory over Grigor Dimitrov at the 2023 Cincinnati Open.
Zverev defeated Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2 in 72 minutes in the first round of the Western & Southern Open. He capitalized on four out of eight break points against Dimitrov, ultimately securing the win.
This was the former World No. 2's first appearance in Cincinnati since his title run in 2021. It was also his first hard-court victory against a top 20 opponent this season after four attempts.
German tennis legend Boris Becker took to social media to praise Alexander Zverev for the win.
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"Nice work S," Becker captioned his Instagram story.
Alexander Zverev will take on Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round of the Cincinnati Open 2023
Sixteenth seed Alexander Zverev will square off against unseeded Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round of the 2023 Cincinnati Open on Wednesday, August 16.
Nishioka encountered a formidable challenge from Gregoire Barrere in his tournament opener. Despite a tough battle, the Japanese managed to secure victory in the first set, only conceding four games.
He continued his impressive performance in the second set, triumphing after 12 games. This was his 14th win out of 28 matches in 2023 and he also improved his record to 4-1 in Cincinnati.
After defeating Barrere, the 2019 quarterfinalist managed to break a five-match losing streak that persisted since reaching the second week of Roland Garros. Yoshihito Nishioka also made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open this year.
Meanwhile, World No. 17 Alexander Zverev commenced his quest for a second title at the Western & Southern Open by securing a commanding victory over the 2017 champion, Grigor Dimitrov. The German conceded a mere two games, to clinch the opening set.
The second set unfolded in a similar fashion. Dimitrov managed to secure two additional games as Zverev secured his spot in the second round. This victory propelled the former World No. 2's season record to 35-19, and 6-6 at the ATP Masters 1000 in Ohio.
After a disappointing second-round loss at the Canada Open just last week, the German will be determined to evade a similar fate in Cincinnati.
Zverev and Nishioka's only encounter took place in the first round of the Washington DC tournament back in 2015. A then 18-year-old Zverev won in straight sets. This will be their second clash on hardcourt.
