Zverev Revives Doubles Dream in Acapulco
Alexander Zverev turns to doubles partnership with Marcelo Melo to end a seven-year title drought at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, where hard-court memories fuel his semifinal push.
Alexander Zverev steps onto the sun-drenched hard courts of Acapulco, the Pacific breeze carrying echoes of past triumphs as he eyes a doubles breakthrough. The No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings has gone without a singles trophy at ATP 500 events this season, but with good friend Marcelo Melo at his side, he advanced to the semifinals Thursday, defeating Nuno Borges and Miguel Reyes-Varela 6-3, 3-6, 10-4. At 28, Zverev chases his first tour-level doubles title since partnering with brother Mischa Zverev here in 2019, a victory that capped their second trophy together after Montpellier in 2017.
His 24 ATP Tour singles titles span nine of the last ten seasons, interrupted only by a serious ankle injury at Roland Garros in 2022 that sidelined him for half the year. Now, his 72-89 doubles record per the ATP Win/Loss Index hints at untapped synergy, especially with Melo’s veteran touch from their 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters final run. The pair’s quarterfinal win swung on Zverev’s heavy topspin serves setting up Melo’s net poaches, forcing errors in the super-tiebreak under the roaring crowd.
México @AlexZverev @AbiertoTelcel | #AMT2026 pic.twitter.com/hF010eRKXo
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Brotherly echoes fuel the fire
Zverev‘s last doubles glory in Mexico came alongside Mischa Zverev, their synchronized returns down-the-line exploiting the hard-court bounce that favors aggressive volleys. That 2019 run mirrored their earlier Montpellier success, blending sibling intuition with powerful baseline drives. Today, partnering Melo revives that rhythm, the Brazilian’s experience anchoring Zverev’s flat groundstrokes against foes who probe for weaknesses in crosscourt exchanges.
The Acapulco surface, medium-paced and lively, rewards Zverev’s adjustments from singles—deeper returns to pin opponents, followed by inside-out forehands that open the court for Melo’s approaches. Fans chant under the arena lights, their energy amplifying the stakes as Zverev balances singles frustration with this doubles pursuit. At stake is not just hardware, but a mental reset amid the season’s grind.
Semifinal clash tests partnerships
Friday pits Zverev and Melo against #NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar and home favorite Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez, a matchup where youth’s explosive serves meet local fervor. Jodar’s pace demands Zverev vary his returns—mixing slice to the deuce side with flat power—to disrupt their one–two patterns at net. Pacheco Mendez thrives on inside-in shots backed by the crowd, forcing Zverev to refine footwork for split-step readiness on these quick courts.
In the other semifinal, Alexander Erler and Robert Galloway ousted third seeds Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul 7-6(3), 6-4, their baseline grind wearing down second serves in tight exchanges. Qualifiers Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens crushed Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard 6-1, 6-0, relentless crosscourt pressure exposing every lapse. For Zverev, navigating this bracket means leveraging Melo’s tiebreak poise, turning Acapulco’s tempo into a path for redemption.
Hard-court rhythm points forward
Zverev’s evolution shows in subtle shifts: topspin lobs over the net to counter aggressive returns, echoing his 2019 success on similar bounces. The tournament pulses with possibility, from starry-night semifinals to potential finals under Mexican skies. Win here, and he ends the seven-year wait, his doubles poise bolstering rankings contention while easing singles pressures.
