Alexander Zverev advanced to his fourth successive French Open semi-final with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 win over Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur on Wednesday.
Fourth seed Zverev will play Casper Ruud for a place in Sunday’s final after the Norwegian received a walkover following Novak Djokovic’s injury-enforced withdrawal.
Germany’s Zverev is on an 11-match winning streak after clinching the Rome title last month, but he has never reached the final at Roland Garros.
Zverev expressed happiness about reaching another semi-final, hoping to win this time. He had defeated 14-time champion Rafael Nadal in the first round of this year’s tournament.
Zverev was defeated by Ruud in straight sets in the semi-finals of the French Open in 2023.
After needing five sets in each of his previous two rounds, Zverev polished off de Minaur inside three hours.
He saved a set point on his serve at 5-6 in the second set and then won a 39-shot rally to bring up one of his own in the tie-break, which he sealed at the first opportunity.
Norway’s Casper Ruud celebrates after winning against US Taylor Fritz
Zverev explained that recovery happens during the off-season, not after matches, in response to press inquiries.
He emphasized his mindset of working harder than everyone else to be the best player, enjoying pushing himself to the absolute limit.
As a result, playing five sets becomes manageable for him.
A serious ankle injury dashed Zverev’s hopes in his 2022 semi-final against Nadal as he was forced to retire. The year before he lost at the same stage in five sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
De Minaur’s bid to make a first Grand Slam semi-final ended with an eighth defeat in 10 meetings with Zverev.
He expressed extreme pride in his efforts over the two weeks, noting that he put up a strong fight in difficult conditions against a quality opponent. This match marked his second quarter-final at a major.
With AFP
