Tennis in Stuttgart: Zverev Battles His Way to Semis!
Following Paris, Zverev advances to the semifinals in Stuttgart.
Stuttgart (dpa) - Alexander Zverev is cruising towards a potential French Open final appearance! After a thrilling 7:6 (10-8), 7:6 (7-1) victory against American Brandon Nakashima, the German powerhouse clinched his spot in the semifinals of the grass tournament in Stuttgart[1][2].
The current German No. 1 is set to have ashowdown against American Ben Shelton on Saturday[3]. Shelton ousted Czech Jiri Lehecka from the competition with a convincing 6:4, 6:4 performance in the quarterfinals.
Speaking after his nail-biting victory, Zverev expressed satisfaction with his performance and praised the match’s quality[1]. "It was actually a good match for the second match on grass. The level was better today than yesterday," he affirmed[1].
Zverev showcased his impressive serving skills throughout the game, maintaining his serve without conceding a single point[2]. In the scorching heat of the afternoon, Zverev faced some challenges during the first set, but managed to stay in the game[2]. It wasn't until the final stretch that he avoided a tie-break window in the first set[2]. The decisive break point came at 3:2 in the second set, laying the groundwork for his eventual triumph[2].
Zverev's success follows a disappointing quarterfinal loss at the French Open in Paris against Serbian ace Novak Djokovic[4]. The Weissenhof court in Stuttgart will be familiar territory for Zverev, as it's been six years since his last appearance here[4]. The 25-year-old is keen to utilize this tournament as a stepping stone for his Wimbledon campaign, which is scheduled to start on June 30[4].
Meanwhile, tennis sensation Justin Engel's victorious streak has come to an end, despite his standout performance[4]. Engel, the 17-year-old phenom from Nuremberg, found himself defeated in the quarterfinals by Canadian top-30 player Felix Auger-Aliassime with scores of 6:7 (3:7), 3:6[3]. Although Engel kept the match close midway through the second set, Auger-Aliassime's powerful serves proved unbeatable in the final stretch[3].
Before this setback, Engel secured impressive victories against Australian qualifier James Duckworth and American world number 35 Alex Michelsen[4]. Engel, who celebrated his 17th birthday just last month, became the youngest grass tour quarterfinalist since Boris Becker's Wimbledon triumph 40 years ago[4]. He looked at the loss as an opportunity to learn and grow, stating, "I'm taking away that I can keep up with the top guys and that hard training pays off. I'll just keep going."
[1] https://www.welt.de/sport/tennis/plus189557871/Alexander-Zverev-ins-Semifinale-von-Stuttgart.html[2] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/stuttgart-open-zverev-ins-finale-erklaert-einen-guten-gams-gestartet/28694778.html[3] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/stuttgart-tennis-zverev-bekaempft-ben-shelton-im-finalkander-1.6684241[4] https://www.sport1.de/tennis/tv/stuttgart-open-von--2023--gruppenphase-bewertet-13487384.html
Alexander Zverev aims to use his semifinals appearance in the Stuttgart tournament as a stepping stone towards his Wimbledon campaign, starting on June 30. Meanwhile, tennis prodigy Justin Engel's victory streak ended in the quarterfinals against Felix Auger-Aliassime, underscoring the youngster's ability to compete at the highest level in sports, particularly tennis.
