Hamburg European Open 2024: Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston
Date: July 18, 2024
Tournament: Hamburg European Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Am Rothenbaum, Hamburg, Germany
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: €1,891,995
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+
Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston preview
Top seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev will square off against Hugo Gaston in the second round of the Hamburg European Open 2024 on Thursday, July 18.
Zverev commenced his title defense against qualifier Jesper de Jong. The German stepped onto the court with a heavily strapped knee but that didn't stop him from playing an impressive match. He broke his opponent's serve twice in each set to secure an easy 6-2, 6-2 win.
Gaston was drawn against Facundo Diaz Acosta in the first round here. The Frenchman overcame an early break deficit in the opening set to force a tie-break, in which he edged out his opponent to take the set.
Diaz Acosta wasted no time getting back on track, sweeping six straight games in the second set to clinch it and push the match into a final set. He was on course for a win as he raced to a 3-0 lead in the third set. Gaston turned things around after that, as he bagged six of the next seven games to score a 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4 win.
Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the two, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Alexander Zverev vs Hugo Gaston prediction
Zverev kicked off his title defense with a commendable win over de Jong. He didn't face a single break point, won 79 percent of his first serve points, and struck 29 winners against 11 unforced errors.
After winning a close first set, the match almost slipped out of Gaston's hands. However, he recovered in the nick of time to score his fifth win of the season. The Frenchman hit 30 winners in contrast to 24 unforced errors and won 53 percent of points on the back of his first serve.
Gaston was touted as a promising young talent after a breakout fourth-round run at the 2020 French Open. However, he hasn't lived up to his potential in recent years. The Frenchman has 32 main draw wins in his career, while Zverev has won 41 matches this year. This should be another comfortable win for the German given his opponent's record.
Pick: Alexander Zverev to win in straight sets.