Roland Garros Tennis Tournament - Zverev Shines in High-Pressure Situations: "Warrior for the Lord"
Alexander Zverev, worn out and drained, just desired to hit the sack after his four-hour struggle. Yet, he found the strength to complete his post-game interview session with a grin on his face.
"I'm more content when I'm in the competition at three in the morning than when I'm out at three in the afternoon," remarked the 27-year-old as he departed from the Stade Roland Garros in Paris around three hours prior to sunrise: "I'm elated that I pulled through and made it to the quarterfinals."
However, Zverev had to put in a lot of effort and suffer again at the French Open. Just like in the previous clash against the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, he managed to clinch the match with extraordinary comeback capabilities only after five sets. Zverev mastered the rebelling Dane Holger Rune by scoring a 4:6, 6:1, 5:7, 7:6 (7:2), 6:2 and secured his sixth spot in the quarterfinals of the prestigious clay-court tournament. This left tennis legend and Eurosport expert Boris Becker in awe: "He's a true fighter!"
He desired to head back to his hotel as soon as possible, get some treatment there, catch some shut-eye, and then feel refreshed the following day. Zverev is the favorite against the Australian Alex De Minaur in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Although Zverev has won seven out of the nine previous matches against De Minaur, who is more comfortable playing on hard surfaces.
But Zverev was also surprised by his triumph over the highly-rated Russian Daniil Medvedev. "Alex displayed an outstanding performance against Medvedev, amazing tennis," Zverev cautioned: "I anticipate another challenging encounter."
It's uncertain if he has the stamina for three additional five-set ordeals until he captures his first Grand Slam championship. Zverev was inquired about this in the media round. "I want to say 'yes,'" replied the world number four with a smirk: "However, I also hope I don't have to endure five sets once."
The German top-ranked player has a marvelous record in five-set matches in Paris: Out of 11 such fights, Zverev has triumphed in 10. Moreover, another stat demonstrates his remarkable talent in crunch moments: His tiebreak record at the French Open is 22:2 - a spectacular statistic!
"You simply need to stay composed in those situations," explained Zverev about the secret to success: "Sustain the agony and just persist." The unsettling news from Berlin about the legal action against him for alleged bodily harm against his ex-girlfriend appears to have no bearing on his performance.
The fact that he spent a total of 8 hours and 25 minutes on the court in his most recent pair of games isn't something a brief rest can totally eliminate. "It's something you earn through your efforts over the years," he added. The prize for his prolonged efforts ought to be the "Coupe des Mousquetaires," the award for the victor of the French Open. And things are moving in his direction.
Just like the world number one, even Djokovic might fear him despite a prospective semi-final clash. The 24-time Grand Slam tournament titlist was on the brink of elimination at the hands of Argentine underdog Francisco Cerundolo, but eventually advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win. But the Serb sustained a knee injury during the duel, which gave rise to doubts about his ability to compete in the quarterfinal against the previous year's finalist, Casper Ruud from Norway. "I don't know if I'll be able to take the court," commented the 37-year-old, looking forward to the match on Wednesday: "I hope so. Let's see what the investigations show and how it feels when the adrenaline and painkillers wear off." In other words, he needs to determine the extent of the damage from the exams and assess how he feels once the adrenaline and painkillers become ineffective.
