Alexander Zverev news: German ‘happy to be a part of history’ after record-breaking match

Lucy Roberts
Alexander Zverev

The record for the latest finish to a match was extended earlier today when Alexander Zverev’s first round tie at the Mexican Open with Jenson Brooksby went on until 4.55am, with the German “happy to be a part of history.”

This trumps the previous record which was set in 2008 at the Australian Open in a match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis which finished at 4.34am.

Overall the match lasted three hours and 19 minutes, but the game didn’t start until well past midnight.

Zverev won’t mind having a late night, or early morning, however you want to look at it, as he beat his American opponent 3-6, 7-6 (12-10), 6-2 to progress to the second round of the tournament where he is defending his title from last year.

“I don’t know how Jenson feels, it must be difficult but I’m happy to be a part of history,” Zverev said in his post-match interview.

“It was an incredible battle, I think it was an incredible match and hopefully many more to come from me this week.

“I didn’t play my best, there’s no doubt about it but I didn’t give up, I know that I want to do well here and I’m the defending champion and I want to give myself the best chance to win and I did well surviving today.”

The 2021 ATP Finals champion doesn’t have long to recover from his mammoth morning as he faces Peter Gojowczyk in the second round in an all-German tie and hopefully that match won’t last as long or Zverev is going to have a long week if he’s to defend his title.

The world No 3 could face the likes of Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev if they’re successful at reaching the later stages of the tournament, but they are all yet to play their opening match, bar Zverev of course.

The Mexican Open concludes on February 26.

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