Zverev survives test of nerves in Paris

Alexander Zverev eventually controlled his nerves to reach the French Open third round with a 2-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Serbian Dusan Lajovic on Wednesday as he bids to improve on a below-par Grand Slam record.

The second-seeded German smashed a racket in frustration before finding his groove and setting up a meeting with 26th- seeded Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.

Zverev has yet to reach the last-eight at a Grand Slam, but his huge talent told in the end against the world No. 60.

Asked about the gap between his ATP tour and his Grand Slam performances, Zverev said: “Everybody tries to make a bigger story out of it than it is. I have had great success on the ATP Tour, won three Masters, made two other finals this year.

“I’m not worried. I know if I’m doing the right things and if I do the right work I’ll win those long matches, and the success will come itself. This is not something I think of on a daily basis.”

After all, 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was also a relatively late bloomer.

“Federer told me a story about how he never made it past quarters until he was, what, 23 years old or something like that,” said Zverev.

“I still have a little bit of time. Hearing that from the greatest player of all time is comforting, because you always think, Oh, if I’m not going to win this one, I’m never going to win one.”

The 21-year-old Zverev had to cope with the frustration of an error-riddled start of the match.

He dropped serve twice in the opening set as Lajovic kept his cool and held serve to take the lead on Court One.

Lajovic toyed with the German, who lost his temper when he was broken in the third game of the second set and crushed his racket in frustration.

But the German, who leads the ATP Race, was fully focused as he raced through the fourth set by sticking closer to the baseline and he ended the match with an unreturnable serve.

Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic’s target practice often failed to hit the bullseye but that did not prevent the Serbian eking out a 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 second round win over Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar.

While it was obvious his game is still a long way from the form he produced to win four slams on the trot from 2015 to 2016, his surgically repaired elbow got a workout before he set up a third-round clash with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. (Reuters)

On TV: French Open early-round action (live on Eurosport and Eurosport2 from noon)