French Open
Zverev satisfied and wanting more: “Very happy”
Alexander Zverev in action. photo
© Manu Fernandez/AP/dpa
A year after his serious injury, Alexander Zverev has a great opportunity. The tennis Olympic champion is the clear favorite in the quarter-finals – and definitely doesn’t want to go home.
Alexander Zverev sees himself in the top eight at the French Open by no means at the end.
“I’m in the quarter-finals now, I’m not saying: I’m in the quarter-finals, that’s enough, great, I’m leaving now,” said the tennis Olympic champion after the 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. “Of course I want to reach the semi-finals and then hopefully go through.”
For the fifth time and for the third year in a row, Zverev has reached the quarter-finals of the classic clay court in Paris. “I did my job, I’m through in three sets, I’m in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, I’m very happy about that,” said the 26-year-old.
Tennis legend Boris Becker warns
And the chance of a big coup a year after his serious ankle injury in the same place is great: Zverev is also the clear favorite in the next duel on Wednesday with Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry. In a possible semi-final – against last year’s Norwegian finalist Casper Ruud or youngster Holger Rune from Denmark – the absolute top title favorites would not be waiting either. Only once – in 2020 at the US Open – has Zverev been in a Grand Slam final.
But tennis legend Boris Becker warned of the next task. “It will be a very difficult match. Etcheverry is an Argentinian clay court specialist who will go where it hurts,” said the Eurosport expert.
“This is by far his greatest success, so Sascha has to be extremely careful and go into the match with the same attitude. It will be more difficult against Etcheverry than against Dimitrov.” Etcheverry, 23, had only reached the second round once at the Australian Open prior to this French Open.