The Latest Tennis News for Your Enjoyment - Exciting five-set battle: Zverev escapes early departure at Roland Garros.
Tennis ace Alexander Zverev, an Olympic champion, dodged a potential embarrassing ouster in the French Open with a determined performance, enabling him to keep his title ambitions in Paris alive. The 27-year-old golfer took a beating, losing the first two sets, but showed remarkable resilience, battling critic Tallon Griekspoor for a grueling 4 hours and 14 minutes to clinch a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3) triumph.
Zverev has now reached the eighth round at a Grand Slam event on clay for the seventh time. In the race for a position in the quarterfinals, he'll face the victor of the match between Dane Holger Rune and Slovakian Jozef Kovalik.
Earlier, Jan-Lennard Struff bowed out in the third round. The 34-year-old fell to the 11th-ranked Australian Alex De Minaur, who had a long rain break, in a match that finished 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 3-6.
Becker condemns poor beginning
Zverev endured a dreadful start on the covered Court Philippe Chatrier, giving up a break right off the bat for a 0-2 deficit. Legends of tennis, Boris Becker expressed his dissatisfaction on Eurosport, "The first hour, he didn't impress at all, appeared unfit, and was not there mentally," he said. "It was like he had a stomach ache."
From the middle of the second set onwards, Zverev upped the ante, making far fewer errors and taking a more aggressive approach. He evened the score in the second set and showed immense enthusiasm, shouting "Let's go!" notably soon after. From then onwards, he improved, but allowed a surprising period of weakness to manifest in the fourth set.
Griekspoor, who needed medical attention for a right thigh injury during the encounter, managed to secure the decisive fifth set - and took a commanding lead in the tiebreak, 1-0. However, Zverev didn't give up, striking back. In the match tiebreak, the superior caliber of Zverev shone through.
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- Despite Boris Becker's criticism of his poor start, German tennis player Alexander Zverev managed to turn things around at the French Open, a Grand Slam tournament held in Paris, France.
- Zverev's resilience was tested as he faced Tallon Griekspoor in a five-set battle, eventually emerging victorious with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3).
- The win allowed Zverev to advance to the eighth round of a Grand Slam event on clay for the seventh time, setting his sights on reaching the quarterfinals.
- Meanwhile, fellow German tennis player Jan-Lennard Struff was eliminated in the third round, losing to 11th-ranked Australian Alex De Minaur in a match that lasted over three hours.
- Tennis enthusiasts from around the world, including those in Germany and France, are eagerly following the French Open as it progresses, with Alexander Zverev being one of the top contenders to win the prestigious tournament.
