Alexander Zverev has also solved his most difficult task at the French Open and has moved into the round of 16 of Roland Garros for the eighth time in a row.
The 28-year-old prevailed in his third round match on Saturday in Paris against the Italian Hamburg winner Flavio Cobolli 6: 2, 7: 6 (7: 4), 6: 1 and thus took the next step towards the longed-for first Grand Slam-Title.
Zverev, who was recently at least in the semi-finals four times in a row, also meets an unsettled player in the round of the last 16, and the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor is waiting on Monday. If the German also won this encounter, Grand Slam record winner Novak Djokovic could wait for Zverev.
“This place is special for me. I had my most beautiful, but also the bitterest moment of my career here“, said Zverev after his first appearance on the Court Philippe-Chatrier this year. Three years ago, he suffered a serious ankle injury on the square in the semi -finals against Rafael Nadal. “Today it was difficult for me for a long time. The second sentence was crucial, then the match ran in my direction.”
Zverev keeps the nerves
Against the world ranking-26. Cobolli, who won shortly before the French Open Zverev’s home tournament in Hamburg, started number three in the world, was immediately involved in the second round against the Dutchman Jesper de Jong.
Zverev started with a break, got a second to 4: 1 and after only 39 minutes the first set. After that, Cobolli played significantly more aggressively, Zverev took the serve twice. But the German stayed calm, came back twice and was finally fully there in the tie -break.
Clear matter
After the transformed set ball, he let out his emotions for the first time with a cry. The third round was a very clear matter. After 2:30 hours, Zverev converted his fourth match ball.