Zverev starts Halle Open with three-set win after French Open triumph

Alexander Zverev broke through for the first Grand Slam victory of his career with a dramatic five-set win over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at Roland Garros earlier in June. (EPA Images pic)

BERLIN: World number three Alexander Zverev fought to a three-set victory in the opening round of the Halle Open on Tuesday, his first singles match since winning the French Open.

Zverev won 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 over Czech Vit Kopriva and will face fellow German Yannick Hanfmann in the next round of the traditional Wimbledon warm-up tournament.

The 29-year-old broke through for the first Grand Slam victory of his career with a dramatic five-set win over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at Roland Garros earlier in June.

It was Zverev’s fourth Grand Slam final and second at Roland Garros after some heartbreaking near misses in his career.

Cobolli’s first-round defeat by American Frances Tiafoe on Monday in Halle snuffed out the chance of a re-match of the Roland Garros final.

Zverev has twice made the final at the Halle Open, but has never won the tournament. Wimbledon begins on June 29.

A finalist at the Australian and US Opens, Zverev has not made it past the fourth round on the Wimbledon grass.