16:44
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 5: 3
With a forehand winner, Zverev then closes the sack in this service game, which should bring relief to the Hamburger.
16:43
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 3
Service winner at 3:30 p.m. And the rally that followed was certainly good. At the net, Zverev gets a well-placed forehand from Zapata Miralles, which should come across as a passing shot, and plays a short cross-backhand volley winner.
16:42
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 3
If he loses it, things will look different. And the German is currently still making mistakes, including a double fault that is responsible for the 0:30 deficit.
16:41
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 3
The fact that Zapata Miralles has now reduced Miralles to 3: 4 after being behind 1: 4 is mainly due to Zverev’s mistakes, despite his strengthening. If he wins this service game, not much has happened – Zverev would still have a break.
16:39
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 3
Even with Zapata Miralles as an advantage, Zverev shows himself from the perhaps casual, carefree side and tries to pass the Spaniard, who is on the net, with a tweener after a lob. The trick shot lands in the net; Sascha would have had enough time to play it more safely and without a tweener.
16:37
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 2
Zapata Miralles leaves the ball at 40:30, but the Spaniard is currently approaching eye level. The truth also belongs: He benefits from the currently error-prone player from Hamburg, who is not at his best at the moment. debut.
16:36
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 2
Does the re-break now trigger forces in the surprise round of 16? At least he takes the lead, but then has to accept the loss of points twice in a row. Thanks to a faulty backhand by Zverev, the Spaniard equals 30:30.
16:35
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 2
And Zverev has now taken this game too lightly, which deserves to go to the challenger. The Hamburger gives the decisive point with a net hit.
16:34
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 1
But now Zapata Miralles has an upswing, he plays three rallies in a row, really strong tennis! A backhand winner longline sits great, in the following rally he can overcome Zverev, who is advancing to the “serve and volley” after a not too strong serve, with a great backhand pass as a return winner. It’s getting started.
16:32
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 1
Zverev varies well, especially in the serves, which already makes the return so difficult for the 131 in the world.
16:31
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 1
Zverev has hit the punches so far today but also placed! From Zverev’s point of view, he serves strong to the left and sends the inside-out winner to the right, then super placed on the sidelines. Zapata Miralles being sent back and forth doesn’t stand a chance.
16:29
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 4: 1
Zapata Miralles Sascha is not yet becoming dangerous! With the first breakball, Zverev plays a longline backhand as a net roller, the Spaniard can actually prepare for the forehand for a long time, but then puts it cross behind the baseline – too much risk taken…
16:28
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 3: 1
Because Zverev was able to provoke a mistake by Zapata Miralles on the net and continues to act with pressure, there are two quickly earned breakballs.
16:27
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 3: 1
Zapata Miralles is therefore challenged early and faces some difficulties given the strengths of the favourite. Zverev’s service is early and the German has also started well in the baseline duels.
16:26
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 3: 1
The first service game went over the debut, Zverev wins this to zero. Among other things, a winner and an ace inside the game ball ensure the fast game.
16:24
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 2: 1
Zapata Miralles arrived in the match and on the scoreboard, which the Spaniard deserved. Recently he has stabilized and got into the rallies better, but the point gains for the 2-1 mistakes by Zverev are due.
16:22
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 2: 0
A double mistake by the Spaniard allows Zverev to move up, after which Zverev can set a good short counterattack, which Zapata Miralles places just behind the baseline with a passing shot. 30 both.
16:21
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 2: 0
Overall, the favorite can usually shape the rallies here and you can already tell the expected difference in performance. But not every shot is precise enough, a longline backhand actually with a good angle lands just next to the sideline. 30:0 for the Spaniard.
16:19
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 2: 0
The third in the world rankings does not let the butter off the bread, making it 2-0 after games with two service winners.
16:18
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 1-0
Great serve to the outside, he lays out Zapata Miralles with a “serve and volley” and then makes the forehand winner. Then the German number one is too unfocused twice in a row, cannot accommodate the ball and has to go over the debut.
16:17
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 1-0
With a winner, Zverev continues the good start even with his own serve. When the score was 30:0, he then had to accept a point loss when he interrupted the backhand cross duel and got stuck on the net longline.
16:15
Alexander Zverev – Bernabe Zapata Miralles 1-0
Great start from a German perspective! Sascha also successfully designs the next rally, plays a great angle with a forehand cross and can thus force the mistake of the 25-year-old from Valencia. The very early break!
16:14
Alexander Zverev 0-0 Bernabe Zapata Miralles
After the equalizer, Zverev recorded the first breakball in the first return game, but slowly but surely advanced and played inside into a forehand that was difficult to return.
16:13
Alexander Zverev 0-0 Bernabe Zapata Miralles
The first rallies are dominated by faulty shots: Zapata Miralle makes two unforced mistakes, but between them he forces Zverev to hit the net with the backhand with a longline forehand. 15:30.
16:11
Dinner is served
The protagonists have warmed up in today’s shady Paris and Paris, which is quite cool for the time of year. First the underdog will serve – let’s go!
16:10
head to head
Even when Zverev was not among the top five tennis players in the world, he had not yet met the Spaniard. Therefore, no duel is recorded in the head-to-head balance sheet and therefore no wealth of experience between the two can be shown.
16:08
Tournament history Zapata Miralles
In the bones of the outsider there is only one more sentence in the bones, but the Spaniard’s previous matches may have cost him strength. The 25-year-old, like Zverev, has had to get rid of three Americans on the way to the tournament so far, two of them with bigger names: Taylor Fritz, number 14 in the world, and the experienced John Isner (world rankings 26th). So now comes the first non-American in Roland Garros – and with Zverev, the first top 5 opponent ever for Zapata Miralles!
16:04
Tournament course Zverev
Zverev has largely overcome his difficulties in Grand Slam first round matches and – if not necessarily brilliantly – was able to win the first and third rounds without any major problems. In the second round he had to go over five sets, but Sebastian Baez was also a complicated opponent. “At the beginning of my career I had problems with the Grand Slams. I’m glad that has changed,” said Zverev after advancing in lap three. “I hope that I can expand the series a bit more.”
15:59
The surprise of the tournament
Zverev’s opponent is called Bernabe Zapata Miralles. Never heard? It wouldn’t be surprising given that the young Spaniard isn’t even in the top 100 in the world rankings. In the French capital, where the Spaniards, who often like to play on clay court, feel comfortable anyway, Zapata Miralles suddenly rebels. “He’s having the week of his life here and playing great tennis. I’ll have to be in top form to defeat him,” Zverev paid tribute to his opponent in the run-up to the duel. It should be clear that the German number one is still the clear favorite. Because Zapata Miralles has hardly been able to win any matches at ATP level so far, rather plays on the Challenger Tour and has already celebrated his best career result by entering the third round. The Grand Slam round of 16 put it one step further.
15:51
Court Suzanne Lenglen
The venue for Zverev’s round of 16 is the Suzanne Lenglen court, surrounded by the second largest stadium in the Paris tennis complex. Zverev has played two of his three previous matches here, in the second round he played in the largest stadium (Court Philippe Chatrier). For Zapata Miralles, on the other hand, it’s the biggest appearance in Paris. In view of his not-so-big celebrity, he’s played on the sidelines to date – and surprised.
15:46
Djokovic first quarterfinalist!
Meanwhile, Nole ended his round of 16 match after a very short time, it took him just over two hours to win the three sets against none other than Schwartzman. With 6: 1, 6: 3, 6: 3, the Serbian world number one sweeps the Argentine off the field and thus prepares the court for Zverev and Zapata Miralles.
15:42
Difficult tournament tree for Zverev
Since we’re already on the subject with the first round of 16: Djokovic is one of three really tough opponents who were drawn in half of Zverev’s tournament tree. The Serb and clay court king Nadal could meet him in the semifinals, before that the Hamburg player might have to face the huge Spanish talent Carlos Alcaraz. In all probability, these four absolute top players will fight for one place in the final. At least things are a bit more relaxed on the other half of the tournament tree: Tsitsipas and Medvedev are the two big favorites for the final place, behind them the field drops a little. Even if Rublev, Ruud, the young Dane Rune, Sinner and co. Of course, there are also anything but simple tasks…
15:35
Djokovic first quarterfinalist?
The first round of 16 is probably on its last legs: Djoker seems to have defeated little Argentinian Diego Schwartzman surprisingly clearly in three sets. The two are currently in the third set, the Serbian favorite is already a break away. Should Djokovic end the duel in this sentence, Zverev can be expected to appear at 4 p.m. (maybe a few minutes later).
15:32
Warm welcome
Have a good Sunday afternoon for the second French Open round of 16! German number one Alexander Zverev wants to be in the top eight at Roland Garros and has to defeat Spanish underdog Bernabe Zapata Miralles to do so.