Alexander Zverev beat qualifier Marton Fucsovics in three sets on Tuesday at the Paris Masters as ninth seed Taylor Fritz pulled out through injury after earlier reaching the second round.
The German 10th seed came back from one set down to beat Hungarian Fucsovics 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the round of 64 at Bercy Arena. Zverev is still seeking to secure his place among the top eight who will go on to the ATP Finals in Turin next month. After this victory, the 2021 champion sits seventh just behind Stefanos Tsitsipas and 430 points ahead of ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz.
American Taylor Fritz’s chances of qualifying for the tour’s showpiece event took a hit when he was forced to retire with an abdominal injury. On Monday, the ninth seed had comfortably beaten Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-4.
The 11th-seeded Hurkacz saw off Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 on Tuesday to book his place in the second round alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime, who toppled Jan-Lennard Struff in two sets.
Zverev given 450,000 euro fine
for alleged assaultMeanwhile, Alexander Zverev was handed a 450,000 euro fine ($475,300) by a Berlin court for allegedly assaulting a woman in May 2020, a judicial spokeswoman said.
The former world number two is contesting the fine, which was issued on October 2, and has “lodged an objection”, a spokeswoman for the Berlin courts said in a statement.
Zverev has been “accused of physically abusing a woman and damaging her health during an argument” in the German capital over three years ago, the spokeswoman said, adding that until a final ruling is made, Zverev is considered to be innocent. The Tiergarten district court will now “hear from those involved in the proceedings again”, before likely scheduling a hearing. Zverev’s lawyers rejected the accusations in a statement, naming the woman as Brenda Patea, the tennis player’s ex-girlfriend.