German third seed Alexander Zverev cruised past home favorite Nishesh Basavareddy 6-3, 6-3 in the Cincinnati Open’s second round Sunday, while American Ben Shelton advanced after Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli retired with a knee injury.
Zverev, the 2021 Cincinnati champion, never faced a break and finished the night session on Grandstand with one of his 12 aces, unfazed by the loud local crowd backing Basavareddy.
Next up for Zverev is American Brandon Nakashima in the third round.
Meanwhile, fresh from his career-defining Canadian Open title, Shelton was leading by a set and a break when Ugo Carabelli abruptly retired, clutching his knee in pain early in the second set.
The Argentine tried to play on after taking a medical timeout but could not continue, clearing a path for Shelton to face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut next, who beat Briton Cam Norrie 6-4, 6-3 earlier in the day.
Carlos Alcaraz bounced back from a mid-match slump to down Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 as he hopes to keep his extraordinary run on track after reaching the finals of his last six tournaments.
After a routine start, the second-ranked Spaniard racked up an uncharacteristic number of unforced errors in the second set before regaining his composure, outfoxing his opponent at the net and closing it out with a solid forehand.
"I have to be better, for sure. I started the match really well, feeling the ball pretty good," Alcaraz, who faces Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic next, told the Tennis Channel. "I just want to feel much better in the next round."
Second seed Coco Gauff overcame early problems on serve to cruise past China’s Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-2, keeping her composure despite eight double faults in the first set to book a meeting with Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the third round.
The 2023 champion converted all five break point chances she got on Center Court and was firing on all cylinders, winning 20 of her last 23 points on serve.
"I had a shaky start with the serve, but I was able to push through and figure that out," Gauff told the Tennis Channel. "Just taking my time and remembering the things we worked on in practice and just trying not to, I guess, fall into the same old patterns."
Gauff’s compatriot and former doubles partner, fourth seed Jessica Pegula, eased past Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 6-3 on a day with few upsets at the U.S. Open tune-up tournament.
American Reilly Opelka fired up the home crowd as he overcame Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur 7-6 (6), 6-4, while Australian Adam Walton knocked out 2019 winner Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (0), 6-4, 6-1 in another surprise result.
