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Zverev has winning start in Halle after first aid effort
German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action during againt US tennis player Giron during their men's singles first round match in the Terra Wortmann open tennis tournament. David Inderlied/dpa
Alexander Zverev breezed into the second round of the Halle Open on Wednesday, 6-2, 6-1 over American Marcos Giron, and also found time to help an injured spectator.
Second seed Zverev brought a bag of ice to a woman to ccol her neck where she was hit by a part of an advertising board that had fallen from an upper tier.
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The 62-year-old woman was tended to by paramedics and taken to hospital for observation, but she appeared largely unhurt.
"This has never happened in the 32-year history of the tournament. We deeply regret the incident," tournament director Ralf Weber said, promising the women a free ticket for the whole tournament next year as a small compensation.
The match which was in the first set soon resumed, and Zverev won in 1 hour 19 minutes, with the help of 10 aces and 22 winners. He did not face a break point while breaking 43rd-ranked Giron four times.
"I hope the lady is OK. Something like that should of course not happen," Zverev said post-match.
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"Of course I am happy with the way I played. But the most important thing is that everyone here goes home healthy and happy."
Zverev is making another attempt at winning a first career grass court title. He was a Halle runner-up twice and last week lost another final on the surface, against American Taylor Fritz in Stuttgart.
Zverev, who next meets Italian Lorenzo Sonego, is the second seed in Halle, behind world number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy, who won his first match on Tuesday.
Other action Wednesday saw two Russians advance.
Third-seed Daniil Medvedev reached the quarter-finals 6-2, 7-5 over French player Quentin Halys, and eighth-seed Karen Kachanov beat Belgian Zizou Bergs, 7-5, 6-3 in the first round.
Halle is among the tune-up events for Wimbledon, which starts on June 30.
German tennis player Alexander Zverev reacts during againt US tennis player Giron during their men's singles first round match in the Terra Wortmann open tennis tournament. David Inderlied/dpa
