A sharp, no-nonsense start
Sometimes a first-round match is just about getting your feet under you. For Alexander Zverev, it was a statement.
Solid, switched-on, businesslike — the German bossed his opening match in Indian Wells. Against Matteo Berrettini, the world No.4 never looked like he was in trouble. Big serve, aggressive returns, control from the back of the court: Zverev played like a man who knew exactly why he’d flown to California.
The scoreline told the same story all night: complete control. No needless scares, no lapses. Just tidy, methodical tennis — clinical, even.
ZVEREV TAKES IT 🇩🇪
Facing Matteo Berrettini for the eighth time, Alexander Zverev wins in straight sets and reaches the third round.
Indian Wells is the only Masters 1000 where the world No.4 has never made the semi-finals. pic.twitter.com/ylVewGuves
— Univers Tennis 🎾 (@UniversTennis) March 6, 2026
Berrettini drained after a marathon battle
Berrettini simply didn’t have enough left in the tank.
The Italian came into this with plenty of miles on his legs. Two days earlier he’d been through a brutal, nearly three-hour scrap — the kind of match that leaves you a step slow against someone as disciplined as Zverev.
There were flashes. The serve still thumped. A handful of heavy forehands cut through the court. But those moments were too scattered to seriously trouble the German.
Zverev stayed unflappable. No breaks conceded, no wobble. He held serve with authority and never let a gap open in the match.
Quiet dominance, but relentless.
A tournament Zverev still hasn’t conquered
Indian Wells has never been Zverev’s playground. Despite being a regular in the top ranks, he’s never really turned the California desert into a place he dominates.
His best run here is a quarter-final — respectable, but below what you expect from someone who plays the big matches.
This year feels different, though. The confidence was obvious from the first point. Focused, tidy in his choices, Zverev looked like a player already settled into his week.
Next up he’ll face the winner of Brandon Nakashima vs. Camilo Ugo Carabelli — two very different threats, both capable of causing trouble if the pace spikes.
One thing’s clear: a start like this gives Zverev a solid platform in a Masters 1000 that can flip on a dime. Get rolling here and a deep run suddenly looks very possible.
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