Alexander Zverev has been performing regularly in Melbourne in January for ten years, but it was only on Monday that the audience heard him sing for the first time. Together with the spectators in the Margaret Court Arena, he sang “Happy Birthday” for his father. The serenade would have been marginal and hardly worth mentioning if the stadium announcer hadn’t had to remind the tennis player of his birthday – coram publico. “Shit, I totally forgot about that,” said Zverev junior. After all, he quickly added, he had reached the quarter-finals and thus had a “suitable gift” ready.
The father, Alexander Senior, 64, is also the coach of the world number six, and he seemed moved by the chorus of spectators. How much joy he actually had in his son’s game against the Briton Cameron Norrie, which once again stretched over five agonizingly long sets and was only decided in the tiebreak – 7:5, 3:6, 6:3, 4:6, 7 :6 (3) -, is another question. In the end, the victory was tied together quite awkwardly – anything but a gift basket for dad with a big red bow.
There were several reasons why the 26-year-old Olympic tennis champion narrowly escaped embarrassment on Monday, both family and professional. At least he promised the visitors and the followers in the players’ box a conciliatory outlook for Wednesday. Because then he will play against the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 20, number two in the world. Zverev explained to the audience in the style of an emcee that Alcaraz was not often seen in Melbourne, but the young man was a great tennis artist who would delight Australia many times over the next 25 years. “He has time on his side,” said Zverev. “But I hope it will be my day in the quarterfinals.”
Alcaraz had to miss an appearance in Melbourne last year due to a leg injury. He may have only found his way to this biggest tournament in the southern hemisphere for the third time, but he is already two Grand Slam victories ahead of Zverev, who is six years older than him – in Wimbledon in 2023 and in New York in 2022. Zverev has moved on have so far tried in vain to acquire such valuable trophies. In 2020 he was at least in the semifinals of the Australian Open, and if he wants to reach the semifinals again, then he has to beat Alcaraz. His match record is positive against the Spanish tennis phenomenon, with 4:3 wins. But there are a number of indicators that are more likely to provoke skepticism.
Zverev will hardly be able to continue playing like he did against Norrie
Because Zverev only survived the match on Monday against Norrie with a bang, it lasted four hours and five minutes. In the second round against qualifier Lukas Klein from Slovakia he had to toil five sets and four and a half hours. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has so far strolled through the tournament on white soles. The Spaniard finished his game on Monday against the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic with minimal effort and a smile, 6:4, 6:4, 6:0. He said afterwards that he was looking forward to the match with Zverev: “If I play like I did today, I will get my chances.”
Carlos Alcaraz had an almost effortless day at work compared to Alexander Zverev. He defeated Miomir Kecmanovic with minimal effort and a smile in three quick sets.
(Photo: David Gray/AFP)
Zverev, on the other hand, will hardly be able to continue playing like he did against Norrie if he wants to achieve his big goal, the Silver Bowl. Before the game, the Brit had an immaculate record of winning 4-0 without losing a set, but he was warned. “I have to take this seriously,” he said.
Because Norrie, currently number 22 in the ranking, has recently amazed the experts: at the age of 28, the Brit recently decided to reinvent himself. The man who was born in South Africa and grew up in New Zealand did not become a winemaker or sheep farmer. But the baseline digger, who used to run tirelessly back and forth at the end of the pitch, transformed into an attacking player almost overnight. In Australia, in his third round match, he surprised the Norwegian Casper Ruud, number eleven on the seeding list: Norrie stormed to the net, took the balls in flight, placed volleys and knocked the Norwegian out of step. The Briton said afterwards that he had “freed himself up”.
He reached the round of 16 of the Australia Open for the first time in his sixth attempt. And in the game against Zverev he switched to attack again after losing the opening set. Zverev had already observed Norrie’s transformation during training last autumn and also followed the duel against Ruud with interest. On Monday he was already in the lead in the second round, 7:5 and 3:2 after a break when he made slight mistakes and was slightly unfocused, then gave up his own serve and lost the round 3:6. He fought back in the third set but lost again in the fourth. And in the fifth set the decision had to be made in a tiebreak. Norrie, still focused on attack, risked too much, made five slight errors in stops and volleys – and gave the match away.
“Cameron played incredibly well today,” said Zverev afterwards. And when the hustle and bustle had died down and the tension was gone, he promised to get his father a real birthday present.