Alexander Zverev’s poor run of form continued as the world No 3 crashed out of the ATP event in Marrakech with a second-round defeat by Spaniard Jaume Munar on Thursday.
The top seed fell to a 7-6 (7/1), 2-6, 6-3 loss to the 60th-ranked Munar, who is from the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy. This was the 21-year-old’s biggest career win as well as the first over a Top-10 player.
“Sascha is a great player and this is a magical moment for me,” Munar was quoted as saying by the ATP website. “I’m very happy. I feel very well here and this victory means a lot to me.”
The 21-year-old Zverev, who has won 10 ATP titles but only reached one Grand Slam quarter-final, also suffered early exits at Miami and Indian Wells in recent weeks - to David Ferrer and Jan-Lennard Struff respectively.
Munar will next face Benoit Paire in the quarter-finals in Morocco. The Frenchman overcame countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the eighth seed, 6-4, 6-2 in 76 minutes.
Defending champion Pablo Andujar of Spain notched a a 7-6(6), 6-4 victory over seventh seed and 2017 runner-up Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the quarter-finals. He will take on Czech Jiri Vesely, who also made his way to the quarters after a 6-3, 6-4 win over Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina.
