Zverev narrowly averts Landaluce's upset by saving four match points

Alexander Zverev already knows who Martín Landaluce is. The German likely did not expect to play one of the toughest matches of 2026 in the first round of the ATP 500 in Vienna against the Spaniard, who had him on the ropes after playing one of the best matches of his career. The Madrid player came very close, but the future world number one saved four match points and took the victory after three hours of battle in a crazy tie break with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(11).

The Madrid player, who has reached the quarterfinals of two Masters 1000 (Miami Open and Rome) this year and has entered the Top 100, gave himself a final luxury before ending the season with one of the best performances of his career. Although he had four match points, he also bravely defended four himself. But on the fifth occasion, his forehand went just wide into the corridor, and even the words that the Hamburg player had with him could not console him.

This is how the great match between Zverev and Landaluce unfolded in the first round of ATP Vienna

The first set was a preview of what was expected in the match: intensity from the first ball. The Spaniard was not just passing through Vienna and proved it from the start. Still, he could not inflict damage on the return against Zverev's always effective serve, who took advantage of his first opportunity to break the Madrid player's serve. However, Tintin perfectly responded by breaking back with a clear message: he was going to make his prize very costly. But as everything seemed to lead to a tie break, the Hamburg player capitalized on the young man's doubts and secured a tightly contested first set (7-5).

But Landaluce already knew the recipe for the second set and managed to sink his teeth into the beginning of the second set. He took a 3-0 lead, and no matter how much the German tried to reduce the gap, his serve was also solid, leading the match to a third set (6-3) that no one expected such an outcome.

Both gave it their all; the equality was maxed out and games kept passing. Everything seemed to be decided in the tie break, but Zverev had match points at 6-5 that Landaluce managed to defend, which would be a small appetizer for what the ultimate outcome would deliver.

The crowd, surprisingly, was cheering for a Landaluce whose bravery brought him to just one step, mere millimeters, from the best victory of his career. But the back and forth was constant, and each player went from enjoying a match point to having to defend it in the next two points. A battle both physical and mental. Points went by, and neither could take down the opponent: 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11…

Until on the fifth match point that he was defending, Landaluce could no longer hold on and his forehand went to the corridor to the delight of Alexander Zverev, who took one of the most demanding matches of a 2026 in which he has lifted two Grand Slams and will be number one. And although it may be little consolation, this already represents a major milestone for a heroic and commendable Martín Landaluce, who will learn a lot from this defeat.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev sofoca ‘in extremis’ la rebelión de Landaluce salvando cuatro bolas de partido