Zverev advances to the Paris semifinals for the fourth consecutive time.
Alexander Zverev secures a spot in the French Open semifinals for the fourth time in a row, bringing him two wins away from his first Grand Slam title. Facing Alex De Minaur, the Hamburg native experience a bit of a challenge.
With a triumphant fist lift, Alexander Zverev greeted the audience. This German tennis player has qualified for the French Open semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. At 27 years old, he bested the Australian underdog, Alex De Minaur, via a 6:4, 7:6 (7:5), 6:4 victory.
Zverev beamed during his post-win interview, sharing, "I'm thrilled to be back in the semis. I hope to claim a win one of these days." Next, he'll face the Norwegian Casper Ruud on Friday, who benefited from Novak Djokovic's withdrawal due to injury in the quarterfinals.
The past few matches have been demanding, with Zverev having played two draining five-set encounters against Holger Rune from Denmark and Tolle Griekspoor from the Netherlands. He spent nearly three hours on Court Philippe Chatrier for this bout, finally claiming the win after securing his first match point.
Understandably, Zverev is now one of twelve players in the professional era who have reached the French Open semifinals four times consecutively. The remaining active professionals who've achieved this milestone include Novak Djokovic (24x Grand Slam winner), Rafael Nadal (Spanish king of clay courts), Andy Murray (British tennis star), and Dominic Thiem (Austria's dominant player).
Forehand falters
As the clear favorite entering the match, Zverev had won seven out of their nine previous matches, including their clay court matchup from two years ago in Rome. Boris Becker, former tennis star at Eurosport, voiced his concerns about Zverev's physical condition, noting, "The big question is: How fit is Sascha Zverev?"
During the match, Zverev showed signs of fatigue and lost focus at times. His forehand had its share of flaws, some of which De Minaur effectively manipulated.
The crowd gasped when a delay in service led to a warning at 5:6, 40:40 in the second set. Yet, Zverev persevered through this crucial stage, along with a 0:4 hole in the tiebreak. Afterward, he waved to the crowd and craved more encouragement. In the third set, Zverev broke at 5:3 to close the match. However, he lost his serve. In the subsequent exchange, he secured the decision.
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In the midst of his Grand Slam pursuit, Alexander Zverev participates in another Grand Slam tournament, the French Open. With his victory over Alex De Minaur, Zverev continues his streak of reaching the French Open semifinals for the fourth year in a row.
Alexander Zverev, a regular participant in Grand Slam tournaments, particularly shines at the French Open, having reached the semifinals for the fourth consecutive time, adding to his Tennis - ORDNER resume.
