21:07
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:4
Zverev can still fend off the first breakball, but then it happened! Tiafoe plays the backhand slice cross and Zverev’s answer ends up in the net. The German loses the game to 3:4. Can Tiafoe add more now?
21:06
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:3
Suddenly the air gets thin for Zverev, whom Tiafoe catches on the wrong foot with the forehand longline. Two breakballs for the American!
21:03
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:3
With a full forehand winner, Tiafoe still turns the event in his favor and bags the game to 3:3. After a good half hour, the scanning is slowly over and the pace increases.
21:02
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:2
First debut! Zverev surprisingly hits a backhand cross stop before Tiafoe then tries to counter stop the net and fails.
21:00
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:2
A pity! The longest rally so far with 23 shots goes to Tiafoe, who pushes Zverev back with slice balls before the German attacks, but warps the backhand longline. 30 both!
20:58
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:2
Tiafoe dares to go to the net for the first time, but puts the volley into the net from close range! Zverev, on the other hand, has already been successful in five of his seven outings so far. 0:30, is something up?
20:56
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 3:2
The next game goes quickly and smoothly to Zverev, who unpacks his sixth winner on the ball and outsmarts Tiafoe with the forehand cross from the backhand corner against the running direction. Zverev is 3: 2, so far everything is in line.
20:53
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 2:2
With the score at 40:0, Tiafoe plays a stop from the backhand corner with a lot of cutting, which just turns sideways. But the second chance goes through because Zverev goes longline on the winner with his backhand, but just misses this blow. Tiafoe equalizes to 2:2.
20:50
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 2:1
With a fine stop, Zverev gets the ball, which Tiafoe then returns to the side. So the number 27 in the world turns 0:30 and gets the game to 2:1.
20:48
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 1:1
The first serve lets the German down a bit in this game. But he takes a lot of risks with the second service, which is around 180 km/h. With the backhand winner, the German comes back, 30 both!
20:47
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 1:1
The rallies are getting better! Zverev seems to have the point with the forehand cross, but Tiafoe still reaches the ball and brings it back. As a result, Zverev then hits the forehand from the backhand corner cross into the net. 0:30!
20:44
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 1:1
Zverev boldly goes to the net, but is passed by Tiafoe with a strong backhand longline. The American has the ball and uses it because Zverev’s return slips sideways over the frame. It’s 1:1.
20:42
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 1:0
With Tiafoe, the length doesn’t fit yet. A backhand slice goes too long, which no linesman sees, but is then corrected by the chair umpire. 0:15!
20:41
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 1:0
Zverev brings the first service game through to 30. The first serve comes four times out of six, which is a good start. When it comes to the ball, he benefits from his opponent’s backhand longline that is too long. Zverev leads 1-0.
20:37
A Zverev – F Tiafoe 0:0
The match begins, Zverev starts to serve!
20:26
start is delayed
Since the previous match ended later and now the spectators of the day games have to leave the stadium before the ticket holders of the night session can come in, the start of the Zverev game is delayed a little, it should start around 8:30 p.m .
20:13
Balance sheet and direct comparison
Tiafoe has advanced to the 2nd round only once (2022) since he first competed in the French Open in 2015. So this year he has already surpassed his previous top result in Paris and now he wants to go even further. He had to go through four sets against Aslan Karatsev in the second round, while before that he had a clean break against the Serb Filip Krajinovic. Tiafoe was on the court for a total of 4:51 hours, Zverev only slightly shorter at 4:41 hours. The direct comparison clearly goes to the Germans with 6:1 victories. Tiafoe’s only win came in Cincinnati in 2017. A close match is ahead today that may take more than three sets to decide.
20:05
Tiafoe scratches the top 10
Zverev’s opponent today has now passed the German in the world rankings. While Zverev is listed at position 27, Tiafoe is currently number 12 in the world and is getting closer and closer to the top 10. The American won the title from Houston at the beginning of April and thus his second success after a long dry spell on the tour. He also faced Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals. Now he wants to cause a sensation at a tournament that has not been one of his favorite stations so far.
20:03
Successful return for Germany’s number 1
The start at the French Open against the South African Lloyd Harris offered Zverev some room for improvement despite a smooth three-set success, and Zverev said he was nervous at the beginning of the match against the Slovenian Alex Molcan, but then Germany’s number 1 showed a sovereign Performance. He was particularly convincing on the serve and was then certified by tennis legend Boris Becker: “You’re back!” Zverev now wants to underpin the visible increase in form against an opponent who has been very strong recently.
19:56
Zverev returns to the scene of the action
For the second time in the course of the tournament, Alexander Zverev is returning to Chatrier and thus the place where he was seriously injured against Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the French Open a year ago. Since then he has had a hard time getting on his feet. So far this year, the semi-finals in Dubai and most recently in Geneva have been the highlights, but there have also been early and unfortunate defeats in between. Daniil Medvedev, who surprisingly failed in round 1 in Paris, has already defeated Zverev twice this year (Indian Wells and Monte Carlo). So Zverev is still waiting for a win against a real top opponent this year.
19:48
Welcome
Good evening from Court Philippe Chatrier on the 3rd round of the French Open 2023! Alexander Zverev meets Frances Tiafoe in the highlight match of the night session! It starts at 8:15 p.m.!