TENNIS FROM MONTREAL • LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR DONALDSON, ZVEREV CONTINUES HOT STREAK BY BEATING KYRGIOS

Written by: Staff on 10th August 2017

TENNIS FROM MONTREAL • LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR DONALDSON, ZVEREV CONTINUES HOT STREAK BY BEATING KYRGIOS

epa06136668 Alexander Zverev of Germany in action against Nick Kyrgios of Australia during their Rogers Cup ATP men's tennis tournament match in Montreal, Canada, 10 August 2017. EPA/ANDRE PICHETTE |

By Ricky Dimon

Jared Donaldson came within one game, and also three points, of reaching his first ATP quarterfinal–at a Masters 1000, no less–but could not quite cross the finish line at the Rogers Cup on Thursday. Donaldson ultimately succumbed to an in-form Diego Schwartzman 0-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Schwartzman, who upset Dominic Thiem in a three-set thriller with another wild comeback on Tuesday night, successfully served to stay in the match at 4-5 in both the second and third sets. He broke at 5-5 in each set and served it out on both occasions.

Still, a third-round appearance in Montreal continues a stellar campaign for Donaldson, who already up to 66th in the world (and has peaked as high as 58th) at 20 years old. The fast-rising American has earned 14 of his 25 career ATP-level match victories in 2017.

Part of his success can be attributed to working with new coach Jan-Michael Gambill. Donaldson split from Taylor Dent last December and hired Gambill, a fitness fiend and former world No. 14.

“Talking to people about my tennis game is important,” Donaldson said in an interview with the ATP Tour earlier this year. “Life is all about learning and figuring out what’s good for you, and it’s the same thing with tennis.”

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates his victory over Nick Kyrgios of Australia during the third round of the Rogers Cup ATP men’s tennis tournament in Montreal, Canada, 10 August 2017. EPA/ANDRE PICHETTE

Alexander Zverev may be learning even faster than Donaldson–and it also helps standing at 6’6”. Both players are on course to be part of the inaugural NextGen ATP Finals in Milan. Zverev, though, is also in line for an even more prestigious year-end championship–the World Tour Finals in London. The world No. 8 has captured four titles this season (including last week in Washington, D.C.) and he extended his winning streak to six matches with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Nick Kyrgios. Zverev, who is 14-2 in his last 16 matches dating back to Halle, fired six aces and saved all eight of the break points he faced to prevail in one hour and 11 minutes.

“I’m happy to be through,” Zverev assured. “Obviously against him it’s not easy because he’s one of the biggest servers that we have. He plays with not a lot of rhythm…. The momentum is definitely with me. But I’m playing (Kevin) Anderson tomorrow…. He’s played a lot of matches. He’s playing very, very well. It’s going to be another interesting one.”

Zverev beat Anderson 6-4, 6-4 in Washington, D.C. final this past Sunday.