Alexander Zverev battled through a marathon encounter in Munich to reach the semifinals, overcoming Tallon Griekspoor in a hard-fought 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win that lasted an intense three hours and 14 minutes.
The victory comes at a crucial time for the German star, who’s been searching for form since reaching the Australian Open final. Zverev has suffered six early exits in recent tournaments and narrowly missed out on becoming the 30th player in ATP history to reach the No. 1 ranking.
Zverev Turns the Tide
Friday’s quarterfinal wasn’t without drama. Griekspoor had the match on his racket, serving for the win in the second set while already up a set and a break. But Zverev, ranked world No. 3, dug deep, breaking back at a critical moment and eventually forcing—and winning—a tiebreak to stay alive.
“I finally won a tight match after losing a few of those lately,” Zverev said after the match. “I needed this one, and I’m proud I pulled through, especially when I was down 0-40 early in the third.”
Zverev showed resilience throughout. After saving a total of five out of six break points, he flipped the momentum in the final set by breaking Griekspoor at 3-3. From there, he served with authority, sealing the win at 5-4 with a clutch service winner.
Key Match Stats:
- Winners/Unforced Errors: Zverev hit 37 winners to 35 unforced errors, capitalizing on 49 unforced mistakes from Griekspoor.
- Clutch Moments: Zverev saved four break points in a crucial game early in the final set and never looked back.
- First Breaks: The first time Griekspoor was broken came while serving for the match in the second set.
Griekspoor’s Strong Start Falls Short
Griekspoor started strong, winning the first set in a tiebreak after fighting back from 2-4 down. He then grabbed an early break in the second set and looked poised to close the match in straight sets. But Zverev’s experience and calm under pressure turned the tide.
Even in the third set, Griekspoor had his chances, including four break points in the fourth game. Zverev held firm and eventually broke the Dutchman’s serve with a powerful baseline game that made the difference.
Looking Ahead
With this win, Zverev moves into the Munich semifinals and inches closer to another title on home soil. It’s a much-needed morale boost after a tough stretch on tour.
“This one feels good,” Zverev added. “It shows I can still come through in the tough ones.”
