Zverev bows out
Haase tames fourth-seeded German in second round
PARIS: Fourth seed Alexander Zverev was dumped out of the Paris Masters by Dutchman Robin Haase in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 second-round defeat.
The 20-year-old German lost his composure after easing through the first set, as his bid for a third Masters title of the season was abruptly ended at Bercy Arena yesterday.
It was the world No. 43 Haase’s first-ever win over a top-five player.
Zverev will next play at the World Tour Finals in London later this month, while Haase goes on to a last-16 tie against either Joao Sousa or 13th seed Juan Martin del Potro.
Home hope Lucas Pouille kept his slim hopes of qualifying for the World Tour Finals alive by seeing off Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4.
The 17th seed needs to at least reach the final at Bercy to stand a chance of taking one of the final two places for the year-ending eight-man event, but he was handed a boost when given Roger Federer’s place in the draw after the Swiss second seed’s withdrawal.
American John Isner, who lost in last year’s final to Andy Murray, battled to a 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (11-13) 6-3 victory over Argentinian Diego Schwartzman.
On Tuesday, Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem battled into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 victory over German lucky loser Peter Gojowczyk.
The 24-year-old Thiem, who has reached the French Open semi-finals in each of the last two years, was made to work hard in the capital before eventually setting up a third-round tie with either Fernando Verdasco or Kevin Anderson. Sam Querrey’s Tour Finals bid is over, after the big- serving American suffered a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Serbian qualifier Filip Krajinovic.
Querrey will end a successful season in which he reached the Wimbledon semi-finals just outside the world’s top 10.