Miomir Kecmanovic has now scored maiden Top 10 and Top 5 wins against Alexander Zverev with Acapulco effort
The milestones came six-and-a-half years apart for the Serbian.
In 2019, Miomir Kecmanovic scored his first Top 10 victory when he ousted a sixth-ranked Alexander Zverev at the Cincinnati Open.
Six and a half years later, Kecmanovic has clinched his maiden Top 5 victory. Unfortunately for Zverev, it came at his expense once again on a hard court—this time in Acapulco.
Clashing at the Albierto Mexicano Telcel on Wednesday evening, Kecmanovic ultimately outlasted the world No. 4. After Zverev forced a decider, Kecmanovic flipped the switch in the pair’s second tiebreaker to prevail, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), as his opponent’s backhand slice found the net to end the contest following two hours and 36 minutes of battling.
Kecmanovic finished with 13 aces (to three double faults) and won 69 percent of his second-serve points.
“I was more aggressive when it mattered. I served a lot better than my usual standard,” Kecmanovic assessed with ATP Media.
“It feels amazing, especially since it’s been a rough couple of years, last few months. Happy that some things are going my way, finally.”
After beginning the year at 0-4, Kecmanovic has reached the quarterfinals at a pair of ATP 500 tournaments. The first came at the Dallas Open, where he edged out Tommy Paul ahead of a close three-set loss to eventual champion Ben Shelton.
This latest effort marked the Belgrade native’s first Top 10 upset since he knocked off Casper Ruud at 2024 Rome. Prior to tonight’s outcome, Kecmanovic’s best career win by ranking was a trio of victories over sixth-ranked opponents: Zverev, Matteo Berrettini at 2022 Indian Wells and Holger Rune at 2023 Stockholm.
In the last eight, Terence Atmane awaits. The left-hander navigated his way past rising Spaniard Rafael Jodar, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.