The disappointing French Open-Aus digested the first victory in the lawn season: Alexander Zverev celebrated a successful start in his Wimbledon preparation.
The world ranking third Alexander Zverev won his first match at the ATP Rasurnier in Stuttgart against the Frenchman Corentin Moutet with a little effort 6: 2, 7: 6 (9: 7). After the first round and freeless, the 28-year-old is now in the quarter-finals of the 250s competition.
Zverev confidently in the first sentence
During his first appearance in the Baden-Württemberg state capital, the top seed Zverev had set an example early on for six years, secured a break and confirmed it on his own serve. In the second set, however, he had to stretch tremendously. On the green of the TC Weissenhof, where he had previously celebrated a victory, Zverev repeatedly revealed difficulties against left -handed when changing the ball.
With increasing playing time, both players looked dissatisfied with their own game, which was shown in the Frenchman in discussions with the referee. In the scorching afternoon heat in Stuttgart, Tokyo Olympic champion Zverev kept the upper hand in the tiebreak of the second set and will be opened again in the quarter-finals on Friday. “The first game on lawn is never easy,” said Hamburg after the success in the on-court interview: “But a victory is a victory. I’m happy to play again tomorrow.”
30th victory for Zverev this season
With the victory, Zverev after French Open Champion Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) is the second professional on the ATP tour, which celebrated 30 wins this year (with eleven defeats). That could give him buoyancy at the further course of the rather unpopular lawn season. The path leads to the Grand Slam in London via Stuttgart and Halle. In Wimbledon, however, he has never got beyond the round of 16, and he has not won any of his 24 ATP titles on lawn.
“Last year I played the best lawn tennis on my career – unfortunately until the injury,” he said after his arrival at the Weissenhof. Theme At his first press conference in Stuttgart was also the criticism of Boris Becker and Barbara Rittner to Germany’s number one. Zverev failed at the French Open in the quarter -finals on the Serbs Novak Djokovic.
“If things go well for me, I always do everything right if I am going badly, everyone is always very, very smart. Unfortunately, Boris is part of it,” said the Hamburger. Rittner also got her fat away: “First of all, I don’t take her opinion seriously and secondly she has a wrong opinion in my eyes.” Instead, Zverev defended his role as number three in the world. Now the Hamburger is going on Friday in the quarter -finals against Brandon Nakashima (USA), who prevailed against his compatriot Learner Tien in two sets in the last game on Thursday.
Prize on Thursday, June 12, 2025 7:30 p.m., SWR Aktuell Baden-Württemberg, SWR BW
