Alexander Zverev beat Australia’s No. 1 in three sets to book a place in the 2024 French Open semifinal to play against Casper Ruud. This would be his fourth consecutive semifinal in the French Open. He’s never won a French Open semifinal he’s played in, so he’d be looking to break the jinx against the Norwegian.
The quarterfinal clash with Alex De Minaur lasted for two hours and 59 minutes. Alexander Zverev converted five of six breakpoints, fending off five of the eight breakpoints he faced from the Australian. He needed a strong performance in the tiebreak of the second set to beat De Minaur.
De Minaur Undone By A Double Fault
Alex De Minaur has had a relatively good year so far, winning the Mexican Open after beating Casper Ruud in the final. Alexander Zverev has had an even better season. He won the Italian Open, an ATP Masters 1000, after defeating Nicolas Jarry in the final.
After saving two breakpoints in his service game in the second game of the first set, Alexander Zverev secured a break of De Minaur’s set in the third game of the set. In the next game, De Minaur produced two breakpoints again and secured the breakback on the second breakpoint.
In the seventh game of the set, De Minaur seemed to implode. A series of poor performances gifted Zverev three breakpoints, eventually gifting the German the break of his serve with a double fault. Both players stayed on serve till Zverev served out the set 6-3.
Alexander Zverev’s Comeback Wins Tiebreak
Alex De Minaur then started the second set in fantastic form, winning his first game to love. In the fifth game of the set, De Minaur gifted Alexander Zverev a breakpoint with a double fault. Zverev then capitalized on a misfire from the Australian to seal the break of his serve.
Like in the first set, De Minaur broke back immediately after. Alexander Zverev’s third double fault of the match eventually gifted De Minaur the breakback. De Minaur played an excellent game, covering the court like a speedster.
Both players served at the top of their games after the successive breaks, playing themselves into a tiebreak. De Minaur’s excellent court coverage produced a quick 4-0 lead in the tiebreak. However, the German quickly recovered to draw level at 5-5, with the equalizer coming at the end of a 39-shot rally, and won the tiebreak 7-5 to win the set.
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De Minaur Undone By More Double Faults
Both players started the third set in top-quality fashion like they’d played all through the match. The confidence of a two-set lead showed in Zverev’s performance. The German showed command of his serve with powerful aces and solid backhands.
De Minaur kept up with Zverev’s tenacity, serving two aces in the fourth game to win the game after gifting Zverev a comeback to deuce. Zverev then put in a solid performance to win the next game, dropping just one point.
De Minaur unraveled in the sixth game of the set. Weak volleys into the net and a double fault gifted Zverev the break of serve and the match seemed to be done and dusted. De Minaur clawed some hope back with a break in the set’s ninth game but capitulated immediately after, gifting Zverev the break at match point.
Note:
Alexander Zverev is the fifth player in the Open Era history to reach four consecutive French Open semifinals since Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem.
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