Even before the tournament, the experts were skeptical. “At the bottom”, “no development”, head problems: Alexander Zverev was a favorite for the title at the French Open for hardly any of the ex-professionals with strong opinions. All just “stupid comments”, countered the Hamburger – and started his run, which led him to the semi-finals on Friday against the Norwegian Casper Ruud. The experts are amazed.
“It’s absolutely incredible. If you see him playing now, you have to call him one of the most talented players on the tour,” said three-time French Open winner Mats Wilander on “Eurosport”: “Sascha is physically and technically better , divides his match more cleverly and can also economize with his strength. He is so good that I ask myself: Why shouldn’t he win his first Grand Slam here in Paris?”
Boris Becker is also convinced. “Now he’s back where he was a year ago,” said the former Wimbledon champion. Zverev’s victory in the quarterfinals over Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry was “a big and important match in his career” – “Sascha is back,” said Becker. Even before the tournament, he had criticized Zverev: “Tennis is a head game, he’s just missing it.”
However, Becker had also emphasized: “If the knot bursts, it can happen very quickly.” A lucky draw formed the basis, but Zverev also improved playfully. Against Etcheverry he showed the attacking tennis that many experts demand of him. “My heart is beating. You won the match on the net,” Becker praised the 26-year-old’s forward drive in an interview with Eurosport.