Top seed Alexander Zverev suffered a shocking Round of 16 exit at the Mexican Open after falling 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(4) to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic in a gripping three-set battle in Acapulco.
The defeat marks the second time Zverev has been knocked out in the last 16 at the ATP 500 event, having previously lifted the title in 2021.
Kecmanovic capitalised on Zverev’s 34 unforced errors and held his nerve in a decisive third-set tie-break to secure the biggest win of his career. The Serbian had taken the opening set before Zverev responded strongly to level the match in the second. But in a tense decider, Kecmanovic stayed aggressive at key moments to close out the contest.
“I guess I was more aggressive when it mattered. I served a lot better than my usual standards, so I’m happy that things went well today,” Kecmanovic said. “Obviously he’s the big favourite, so I didn’t have any pressure there, but you still have to play well when it matters, close out the match and thankfully it went my way.”
The victory marks Kecmanović’s first top 5 win and levels his ATP head-to-head record with the German at 2-2. The 24-time tour-level titlist Zverev was left frustrated after missing crucial opportunities in the final set.
Kecmanovic now advances to the quarterfinals of the hard-court ATP 500, where he will face France’s Terence Atmane.
In another match, fifth seed Flavio Cobolli eased past Dalibor Svrcina 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. The Italian was dominant on serve, winning 86 per cent (37/43) of his first-serve points and saving all six break points he faced, according to ATP Stats.
“I love playing in Mexico. I’ve been coming here for three years now. The Mexican fans bring a lot of color to the court and on social media. I’m very happy with the match I played,” Cobolli said. “I don’t know who I’ll be playing next, but I’m sure it will be a tough match. It doesn’t matter what my opponent’s ranking is.”
In another Round of 16 clash, Spain’s Rafael Jódar bowed out after a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 defeat to Atmane (No. 163). The Madrid native struggled with consistency early, committing 14 unforced errors in the opening set. Although he fought back in the second, the French left-hander proved too powerful in the decider.