Brothers Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev needed three sets to get past Sam Querrey and Gilles Simon 4-6, 6-2, 11-9 to progress to the second round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Up next is Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan.
Querrey/Simon break twice to capture first set
The match got underway rather slowly with Sam Querrey and Alexander Zverev both holding serves for 1-1. The third game, however, with Gilles Simon serving saw the Zverev brothers take control. At 15-30, the Frenchman threw in a double fault as they faced three break point early on. The French/American pairing was made to work and so they did, saving two of the three break points heading to a deciding point.
The 32-year-old hit an unreturnable serve as he and Querrey held a tricky game to stay ahead at 1-2. Both teams held serve temporarily for the next four games with Querrey/Simon infront at 3-4. The eighth game was controlled by the American/French pairing who won four straight points in a row to bring up their first breakpoint chances of the entire match.
The German brothers then got stuck in and denied their opponents to take the game to a deciding point. During the point, Mischa Zverev was under attack, constantly being put under pressure and he eventually caved in, throwing an unforced error as he and Alex Zverev were broken, 3-5.
The Brothers didn't let that affect them and almost immediately they broke back with Querrey throwing in an unforced error whilst serving for the set. The Germans failed to consolidate, allowing Querrey/Simon back into the game to earn a first set point thanks to excellent skills at the net from Simon. At the first time, they sealed the set 4-6.
Zverev brothers draw level
After getting broken at the end of the first set, the Zverev brothers began the second more positively. In the opening game, a breakpoint arrived for them with Simon netting. An aggressive return from the 20-year-old led to Simon netting as the German's broke early on before consolidating to go up 2-0 after saving a break point.
With their tails up, the Zverev brothers continued to dictate the rallies and put their opponents under pressure and this led to more breakpoints heading their way, two of them. Querrey saved the first of the breakpoints by opening up the court and hitting a forehand down the line.
But the Germans broke with Mischa Zverev camped at the net and smashing a volley winner. Once again, they consolidated to take a healthy 4-0 lead in the second set.In the next game, the pair of Querrey/Simon stopped the rot and finally got on the board at 4-1.
Both teams also held their next service games with the German brothers now serving for the set at 5-2. A first set point arrived at 15-40 thanks to a second serve ace from Mischa Zverev. They had one set point saved but sealed the set a point later, 6-2.
Zverev brothers come through tight match tiebreaker
Serving first, Querrey/Simon broke early but were immediately pegged back with the opening two games going against serve. The next four games then went with serve as there was nothing to separate the two teams at 3-3. Both teams were then broken once more in the breaker till 4-4 and Querrey/Simon got broken again at 7-5.
But this time the Zverev brothers managed to hold on to that lead until 9-8 when the American/French pair broke for 9-9. In the nineteenth point, Simon sent a return wide and then the German pair clinched the match a point later on the Simon serve with Alex Zverev lobbing the Frenchman to progress.