Zverev Secures 500th Career Win in Toronto

AFP | Toronto

Zverev Secures 500th Career Win in Toronto
• Top seed outlasts Arnaldi in tough three-setter
• Michelsen stuns Musetti
• Ruud avenges Roland Garros loss
• Khachanov advances in three sets

Top seed Alexander Zverev celebrated a major career milestone on Thursday, notching his 500th ATP match victory with a gritty comeback win over Matteo Arnaldi at the Toronto Masters.

The 27-year-old German recovered after dropping the first set to defeat Arnaldi 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2, powering into the tournament’s fourth round. Zverev now joins an elite group of active players with 500 career wins — a list that includes Novak Djokovic, Marin Cilic, Gaël Monfils, and Stan Wawrinka. Notably, he achieved the feat younger than all but Djokovic.

“It’s a great achievement,” said Zverev, a 24-time ATP title winner. “Not a lot of players reach this milestone — but I still want 500 more, maybe even more!”

The German showed improvement throughout the match, especially from the baseline, and closed it out on his second match point. He will next face Francisco Cerundolo, who beat Tomas Etcheverry 6-3, 6-4.

Michelsen shocks Musetti

Alex Michelsen, ranked 26th, stunned third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in a thriller, winning 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to reach his first Masters 1000 fourth round. Despite hitting nearly 50 unforced errors and converting only 2 of 9 break chances, the 20-year-old American held his nerve and capitalized on his seventh match point.

“It feels really good,” Michelsen said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work, and I guess it’s starting to pay off.”

He next faces fellow American Learner Tien, who beat Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Ruud gets revenge

Eighth seed Casper Ruud came from behind to beat Portugal’s Nuno Borges 7-5, 6-4 in only his fourth match since missing Wimbledon due to injury. After trailing 1-4 in the first set, Ruud broke back and gradually took control.

“I just crawled into the first set,” Ruud said. “One break and things can happen. I raised my return game and served my way through.”

Ruud, who lost to Borges at the French Open earlier this year, said it was “nice to get my revenge.”

He will next meet Karen Khachanov, the 11th seed, who rallied past American qualifier Emilio Nava 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1 to make his second Masters round of 16 appearance this season.

Ruud and Khachanov last clashed in the 2022 US Open semi-finals, where the Norwegian prevailed.