French Open Showdown: Zverev vs Djokovic
Djokovic's exit from the French Open leaves Zverev unhappy
Paris (dpa) - The French Open came down to a nail-biting quarter-final showdown between Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, with the latter emerging victorious. Zverev failed to secure a spot in the semi-finals and continues his quest for a maiden Grand Slam title. The defending finalist lost to the Serbian 6:4, 3:6, 2:6, 4:6, delivering a less-than-stellar performance after initial promising starts. Djokovic claimed victory after 3 hours and 17 minutes, securing the match point.
The match saw Djokovic's numerous pauses particularly aggravating Zverev, who played passively. Tennis legend Boris Becker commented on Eurosport, "Against greats like Djokovic, or even Sinner and Alcaraz, you need to make the points. You need to be the one who acts more aggressively and believes in the win. That was evident at the beginning with Sascha, but unfortunately, the longer the match went on, the less so."
Djokovic Takes On Sinner
In the race for a spot in the final, the 38-year-old record Grand Slam champion Djokovic will battle world number one Jannik Sinner on Friday. The Italian has delivered impressive performances at the Stade Roland Garros thus far. In the quarter-finals, Sinner outshined Kazakh Alexander Bublik 6:1, 7:5, 6:0, maintaining an unbroken set streak.
The three-month doping ban seems to have rejuvenated the 23-year-old Italian. Sinner appeared refreshed and eager throughout the match, leaving Bublik with no chances.
Zverev's French Open adventure ended with another disappointment. He will now shift his focus to the grass season in Stuttgart and Halle. The next significant goal is Wimbledon, commencing from June 30th.
Zverev Starts Strong
Initially, Zverev displayed good form at his beloved Grand Slam tournament. Against Djokovic, the defending finalist started powerfully, breaking the Serbian's serve from the outset. Zverev continued to dictate the game, even managing to survive the critical situation in the first set when he had to repel a break point at 4:3. After 46 minutes, Zverev pocketed the first set.
This was one of Zverev's goals to increase the pressure on the decade-older Djokovic. Djokovic was already noticeably tired, slapping his thigh with his racket early on, the strain of the past weeks evident. Before the French Open, Djokovic had also triumphed at the ATP tournament in Geneva and arrived late in Paris.
Becker had also emphasized fitness as a crucial factor in an Eurosport interview. "Sascha Zverev might be the physically strongest player still in the field," Becker had asserted.
Djokovic Outsmarts Zverev
However, Djokovic compensated for his lack of physical strength with his remarkable experience and a clever match strategy. Following his victory in the first set, Zverev seemed somewhat unfocused. Djokovic took advantage of this for an early break to 3:1. Zverev subsequently struggled to catch up, with Djokovic displaying more tactical acumen than the German. Djokovic made Zverev chase balls with frequent stops, taking advantage of his distraction and seizing the set equalizer after 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Zverev was now hopelessly off-balance. Time and again, he sought guidance from his team on the stands, but found no answers. A strategy on how to outsmart the record Grand Slam champion, seemingly, had not been thought through. Djokovic only needed to continue rallying, as Zverev himself inadvertently contributed to the final score with numerous unforced errors.
Remarkably, Zverev accepted his increasingly inevitable defeat with surprising calm. The world number one showed resilience, unaffected by despair or complaints, allowing Djokovic to dominate parts of the match. Even in the fourth set, Zverev quickly relinquished his serve. His response? Nonexistent.
Perplexed, Zverev exited the Philippe-Chatrier court, leaving spectators disappointed by a lack of fight. Despite having one more opportunity to turn the tide when leading 2:3, Zverev lost a 41-stroke rally on a break point, a rally that he should have won at least twice. Once more, Zverev lacked the determination. Djokovic, who had run down almost every ball, saved the break point, ultimately securing the match with a victory on Zverev's unforced error.
Tennis legend Boris Becker, commenting on Eurosport, highlighted that against greats like Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz, one needs to make the points and act more aggressively to secure victories.
In the upcoming match against Sinner, Djokovic will need to employ similar tactics to outsmart the young Italian and advance to the final.
