Australian Open 2020 news - Alexander Zverev battles past Egor Gerasimov in straight sets

With the sun beating down on Rod Laver Arena, Zverev - who pledged on Tuesday night that he would donate the entire winner’s cheque to the Australian bushfire appeal were he to win the tournament - took the first set in the tie-break.

The first break of serve did not arrive until one hour and 34 minutes in which the German took to win the second set 6-4.

In the third Zverev wavered when serving for the match at 5-3, allowing world number 98 Gerasimov to break back and level to 5-5, but the combustible German talent wrapped up the contest soon after with a barrage of stunning forehand winners.

Zverev will play the winner of Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili and Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco for a place in the fourth round.

"The last week when we were practicing we were spending 6-7 hours on court to find my game and work on what wasn't working on the ATP Cup.