Zverev overcomes initial concern with remarkable flair
German tennis fans are in for a treat: Alexander Zverev is almost back to his top form, making him a strong contender at the French Open. In the quarter-finals of the Masters tournament in Rome, he brushed off an early hiccup with ease.
A promising sign for tennis enthusiasts in Germany: Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev is performing exceptionally well, a week and a half before the French Open. At the ATP Masters in Rome, Zverev, from Hamburg, defeated Taylor Fritz of the USA convincingly, despite a momentary slip-up, and progressed to the semi-finals. He will face off against Alejandro Tabilo from Chile on Friday.
The end result was 6:4, 6:3 in favor of Zverev against the world number 13 Fritz, as he sealed victory with his first match point in 1 hour and 30 minutes. Despite a painful tumble on the slightly soapy court, the 27-year-old remained unfazed. He required treatment for his left hand after slipping, but he managed to continue the game without significant discomfort.
"I'm thrilled with the outcome since Taylor is one of the top players on clay this year," Zverev commented: "Winning this match, especially after my fall, is fantastic. But I'm still in a bit of pain - I'll find out the severity once the adrenaline wears off." Zverev is now just two matches away from his first Masters title since 2021. This would be his sixth overall at an ATP 1000 tournament and his second in Rome.
Zverev's aggressive, consistent style
Zverev got off to a strong start against his well-attended Rome audience, dominating Fritz, a recent finalist in Munich (losing to Jan-Lennard Struff) and semi-finalist in Madrid. Despite Fritz's recent success on clay, he struggled to keep up with Zverev's aggressive and consistent style. Zverev also played well in the second set. Fritz tried to fight back but ultimately allowed Zverev to secure the decisive break in the middle of the set.
Zverev's clay court form had raised some doubts in the Masters tournament in Madrid. To the surprise of many, the world number five lost to Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina in the round of 16. However, Zverev remains determined to claim his first major title at the second Grand Slam event of the year in Paris on May 26th.
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Alexander Zverev's impressive form on clay continued in Rome, as he showcased his aggressive and consistent tennis style to overcome Taylor Fritz. Despite falling earlier in Madrid, Zverev's love for tennis and pursuit of a major title drive him forward at the French Open.
Source: www.ntv.de
