Irena and Alexander Zverev Sr can tick off step one of four in the family’s hopes of seeing their sons square off for the first time on tour at this year’s Australian Open.
Alexander Jr got the family off to a winning start at Rod Laver Arena with an anything-but-routine 6-1 7-6(5) 7-5 result over Thomas Fabbiano on Tuesday.
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Mum is credited with teaching the younger of the two brothers his strong double-fisted backhand, and while it wasn’t always on song, it was damaging when it needed to be to reach the second round.
It was in the third round last year that fatigue got the better of a then-teenage Alexander Jr after he took a two-sets-to-one lead over eventual finalist Rafael Nadal.
What a 12 months it has been since. The 20-year-old strode back onto Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday with a top-four seeding next to his name, a surge of some 20 spots in the rankings.
Little, at the end of the day, had changed off-court, however.
“No, my mum still wakes me up in the morning,” he said. “Actually, no, my dog wakes up. I was a bit wrong, no offence.
“Look, the ranking says differently, but it doesn’t matter when you come out here. You still want to come out and play every single match the same, and as you’ve just seen there are so many great players like Thomas and other first rounds. So nothing really changes, you just want to play your match to your best.”
Masters 1000 titles over none other than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, in Rome and Montreal, respectively, were standouts in a bumper 2017.
But there is still a glaring omission on his CV; Alexander Jr is yet to pass the fourth round at a major.
As the youngest player in the top 30, a last 16 showing at Wimbledon was the only time he progressed as far at in 2017.
Big brother Mischa, who reached a maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at Australian Open 2017 with a stunning whitewash of then-No.1 Andy Murray, will attempt to tick off step two for the family when he opens his AO2018 campaign against dangerous Korean Hyeon Chung later on Tuesday.
Should both brothers win through to the third round, it would be “a very special moment for all of us”, Alexander Jr said.
But he certainly was not one to pencil that one in ahead of schedule, with gifted young guns Chung, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Sydney champion Daniil Medvedev all out to foil Mischa’s third-round hopes.
For the 28-year-old journeyman, Fabbiano, this was just his seventh Grand Slam main draw appearance. After salvaging just one game in the opening set, he looked to be headed for another quick exit.
The world No.73, with a little Italian flag proudly embroided on his headband, made a fist of it in the second, however.
While lacking the enormous reach or firepower of the 198cm Zverev, the Italian stuck to his game plan, and pounced when a fourth break point chance presented itself to take a 4-3 lead in the second set.
Serving to level the match at 5-3, there was a strong hint of frustration from his fourth-ranked opponent as the racquet head speed picked up, and the break ensued.
With the tiebreak narrowly in the bag for a two-set lead, this is where the scampering Fabbiano was meant to fade.
He did anything but. A break handed him the chance to serve for a set again.
Different set, same outcome. Zverev found another gear to steal the final three games of the match.
“I think I picked up my energy a little bit and was a little bit more intense on my returns,” the German said. “I’m very happy to get through in three sets and not be out here for five sets, so it’s always nice to get a win like that.
“Obviously a little bit rusty, but it’s my first match back and I played very well in the practice the week before. Hopefully it’ll be better in the next few matches.”
It could be a busy few days if mum’s having to give both sons the morning wake-up call.
“Still we travel a lot as a family, because my dad is obviously my coach still. My mum travels with him,” Alexander Jr said.
“It was more of a joke. At home nothing changed. My brother still makes fun of me. My mum is still there. Dad is still there. My dog doesn't even realise who I am, so, you know, nothing changes at home.”
