Paris (AFP) – Alexander Zverev reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in a hurry. The German Tennis Player of the Year in Paris defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6:4, 6:1, 6:1 thus surviving the fourth round of the classic clay court for the third time.
In the semi-final clash, Zverev now faces Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday. “You played really well today,” Zverev said after his strong performance. “But the tournament is not over yet. I hope to have three more matches here.” He has great respect for his upcoming opponent. “He will probably play the championship in his life,” Zverev said of the Spaniard. Tennis legend Boris Becker paid tribute to the German number one player. “Great compliment. “It was a very mature performance today,” Becker said as a television expert at Eurosport.
Struve also wants to qualify for the quarter-finals
On Monday, Jan-Lennard Struff as another German had the chance to reach the quarter-finals in the French capital. The German second seed will meet Argentine Diego Schwartzman, the 10th seed, in the second match after 11:00 am (Eurosport).
Zverev was up from the start for the night session at 9 pm despite the unusual start time. The 24-year-old immediately took the serve from Nishikori and then didn’t let himself be upset about losing his serve. Zverev defined the movement with his strong game, but he also benefited from the fact that the Japanese seem to have taken a beating a bit. Nishikori had particular problems with the serve, which Zverev used on another break, winning the set after 43 minutes.
Superior Zverev
Everything is under control, ranked sixth in the world. Strong, focused and dominant, he didn’t let Nishikori, against whom he had already won in the run-up to the French Open in Madrid and Rome, back in the game. The second set took less than half an hour, and Zverev had made a perfect 6:1.
But even with safe driving in the back, Zverev did not calm down. A sign that he learned from the past. Last year, Zverev tortured himself multiple times through five-set matches that drained energy and then didn’t have more energy in the knockout round against Yannick Sener.
This time, Zverev kept his pace. He made a quick break in the third set and hasn’t been stopped since. After the Australian Open quarter-finals and tournament victories in Acapulco and Madrid, and now the quarter-finals in Paris. A sign of a good season, but that shouldn’t end at the French Open. The goal remains the first Grand Slam title of his career.
Federer withdraws
But for Roger Federer, the French Open is there. After a difficult four-set win over Dominic Kupfer, the 39-year-old Swiss announced on Sunday that he will not play in the Round of 16 against Italian Matteo Berrettini on Monday. After a break of more than a year and two knee surgeries, Federer does not want to take risks and protect his body for next season on the grass. After all, the classics at Wimbledon (June 28 – July 11) are Federer’s big target this year. After a week off, Federer wants to play again at Halle.
