Have you heard? Alexander Zverev is in love.

Awww, that’s nice. It’s all very sudden, mind.

By his own admission, the object of his new-found affection was until recently the target of his “hate”. Now the mere mention of his pash makes him smile, and he talks about feeling “much more alive”.

Ah, bless. So who is it?

Not who, but what – grass.

After seven previous visits to SW19 which have produced just a pair of fourth round visits, Wimbledon remains Zverev’s least successful Slam by a distance. So the romantic old rogue has come up with the answer, declaring: “I have decided to love grass courts.”

Judging by his second round demolition of Marcos Giron, he’s on to something in a big way. Tennis coaches worldwide might want to take detailed notes on the unusual development in Zverev’s mindset, because for a long while the No.4 seed was little short of sensational as he swept aside Giron 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. 

“I felt really good on court,” glowed Zverev afterwards as he accepted the crowd’s applause. “Marcos has been playing really well in the grass court season – he beat Andrey Rublev in Halle – so I knew I had to be focused. I’m extremely happy to be through in straight sets.”

So far, then, this is love's young dream. True, some might think Zverev’s new approach to grass a tad eccentric. “The heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing,” warned the 17th-century philosopher Blaise Pascal. That’s all very well, Blaise my old chum, but if you’d been on No.1 Court to see what Zverev was doing, you’d have been as enchanted as everyone else.

With the roof closed as evening fell, much of Zverev’s tennis was irresistible. His backhand was positively gorgeous. The only person who might have felt something less than rapture was Giron.

The world No.46 is himself one for a metaphor, but he prefers to liken his trade to the rufty-tufty world of city trading.

“Professional tennis is tough,” he said this week. “It's like the stock market – there are going to be some ups, there are going to be downs, but hopefully in the long run you're going to be better off.”

Maybe, but on this occasion the immediate short-term was a total bear market for him. For two sets he could do little but watch as his tennis stock was shredded by Zverev. The German kicked off proceedings with a forehand pass down the line on the way to a love break. When Giron attempted to lob his 6ft 6in (1.98m) opponent, his effort turned to dust; whereas Zverev’s own version a couple of games later was inch perfect.

Giron’s stock rallied briefly in the third set, if only because the German’s intensity wavered and he became mildly irritated. Trouble in the greensward paradise? Nah, a mere lovers’ tiff. All over in no time and Zverev served out the match.

This was Giron’s fourth successive appearance in the second round here, and the fourth successive time when he has gone no further. His record against top 5 opponents now stands at 0-8, with every one a straight sets defeat.

Who knows what will yet become of Zverev’s new-found affair with the Wimbledon lawns? Love makes fools of us all, and there may yet be five more trials ahead here before he can be sure that his feelings are requited.

Still, just for now Zverev’s heart is going pit-a-pat. Perhaps this will indeed be his year for splendour in the grass.