VIENNA — Alexander Zverev, ranked third in the world, expressed his understanding for Joel Schwaerzler after decisively defeating the 18-year-old in his local debut at the Erste Bank Open on Monday evening.

The match concluded quickly with a score of 6-2, 6-2, and following the game, Zverev offered words of encouragement to Schwaerzler, who was competing in only his second match on the ATP tour and currently sits at 347th in the rankings.

Zverev acknowledged the pressures of competing in front of a home crowd, particularly for young players. “Entering your home tournament and facing the world No. 3 in front of what is likely the largest crowd you’ve ever encountered can be quite daunting,” Zverev remarked. He reminisced about his own experience, recalling how, at 17, he reached the semifinals in Hamburg where he faced David Ferrer in a completely packed stadium.

He continued, “The match ended just half an hour later, and I only managed to win one game. I really can relate to what Schwaerzler is going through; it’s not an easy situation. Nevertheless, he is a fantastic player, and I believe he has a bright path ahead of him in his career.”

With this victory, Zverev achieved his 60th win of the year, matching his career-high from the 2018 season. In addition to Zverev’s performance, other notable victories included Italian players Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli.