TennisSection previews the 2021 Acapulco Open as Alexander Zverev (2) meets Carlos Alcaraz in the First Round on Monday March 15th, 2021.
World number seven Alexander Zverev has gotten off to an inconsistent start to the 2021 season. Can he right the ship here at the 2021 Acapulco Open and get back on track? Or will the young phenom Carlos Alcaraz cause yet another stunning upset? While a mismatch on paper, this match has the potential to be a thriller between one of the top players in the world, and a budding future star. Who will get the win here in the Opening Round and advance to the Round of 16?
Alexander Zverev is seeded #2 here at the 2021 Acapulco Open and is one of the top players in world tennis today. After a breakout season in 2020 where he reached his first Grand Slam Final big things were expected from the German. However, he has gotten off to a mixed start in 2021 and will be looking to find some form here. After strong showings at the ATP Cup and Australian Open, he was defeated in the First Round in Rotterdam by Alexander Bublik. Zverev didn’t play too badly in that match but the struggles with his serve returned, something that is very concerning as it was the only thing stopping him from taking his game to a new level. He has been given a tough draw here in Mexico against the impressive young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, but despite his form he is still heavily favored here.
Carlos Alcaraz is currently ranked a career high #132, and is considered one of the brightest young talents on the ATP Tour. Only 17 years of age, he has been turning heads with his attacking and mature approach to the game. He plays most of his tennis on the Challenger Tour, and like his opponent Alexander Zverev, has had some inconsistent results to start the year. Despite his slow start to the year, he defeated David Goffin in Adelaide, showing just how dangerous he can be. While he is not quite ready to compete regularly with the top players, his mentality is beyond his years, and certainly will be ready to pounce if Zverev is not fully focused. He enters this match as the huge underdog but Zverev has been known to underestimate opponents, something he cannot afford to do here at the 2021 Acapulco Open.
The two players have never faced each other before on the ATP Tour, so this will be their first meeting. This match is shaping up to be an exciting encounter and despite the score line, it will be an entertaining match for the fans. While Alexander Zverev has not had a great start to the season, I still believe that he has too much quality for the young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz here. Zverev has matured greatly as a player, and is not as prone to upsets as he once was. I expect the young phenom to put up a huge fight but ultimately fall short here at the 2021 Acapulco Open. Alexander Zverev will pass the test and advance in two close sets here in Mexico.
Free Tennis Preview and Prediction: Alexander Zverev to win.
Want more Free Tennis Picks from our Experts? Check out our latest Tennis Predictions now!
