4:05 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 4:5
Fritz now also has a better first serve rate. The Californian opens and closes this game with an ace, gets through to 15 and takes the lead again.
16:03
Zverev – Fritz 4:4
With another winner, Zverev takes the game to his side and equalizes 4:4. The French Open winner looks as fresh as he did at the start of the match.
16:02
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
The German reports back impressively – as if nothing had happened. The right-hander goes to work eagerly and counters with a strong forehand cross.
4:00 p.m
Zverev back
Now Zverev returns with his upper body bare and a towel hanging around his neck. Then the Hamburger puts on a fresh shirt and continues playing. There are no sanctions for exceeding the time limit.
3:59 p.m
Zverev is not back yet
The time is now up. Zverev is still not back. Fritz is ready and has to wait.
15:53
Medical timeout
Physiotherapist and doctor come onto the pitch. Zverev describes his complaints. Then you go into the catacombs for further investigations.
15:51
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
Zverev has lost the thread and looks suffering. Heat doesn’t really bother him. The top-seeded German fends off a breakball. The 29-year-old then sits on the bench. So there is actually a physical problem.
3:50 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
Zverev is struggling in this phase and the rate of first serves continues to drop. Then he makes the first double fault.
3:48 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
Fritz then puts a forehand return out to the side. Zverev can finally score a point for himself again. In terms of total points played, Fritz now leads with 27:21
3:46 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
Zverev’s first serve is no longer as reliable, that’s only 61 percent. Then Fritz shines with a brilliant backhand lob and scores the 13th point in a row.
3:44 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:4
This also helps Fritz in this match. The Californian fires his fifth ace. Then Zverev has to go overhead with his backhand and distorts it. Shortly afterwards, Fritz has the game to zero and takes the lead for the first time.
3:42 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:3
Shortly afterwards, Zverev puts a forehand out of bounds on the other side, produces three unforced errors in a row and quietly gives up his serve to zero. So everything is back in line – 3:3!
3:40 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:2
A backhand slice from Zverev turns sideways out of bounds. Suddenly there are three breakballs ready for Fritz.
3:37 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:2
Then Fritz fires two aces in a row – that’s four in total. This gave the fifth seeded American an unproblematic game win for the first time.
3:35 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:1
Fritz hits the edge of the net with a forehand inside-out, the felt ball jumps out to the side. The Californian is now increasing his rate of first serves to 60 percent.
3:34 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 3:1
With Zverev, the second serve is also a weapon. Fritz now feels this twice in a row, his returns fail. Zverev makes it 3:1.
3:33 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 2:1
Fritz counters the attacking Zverev with a cross-played forehand ball, forcing his opponent to take a deuce.
3:32 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 2:1
Early on, the chair referee issued a warning against Zverev, who took too much time before serving. Unimpressed, the Hamburger then fires off his first serves, including his first ace.
3:31 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 2:1
The bumps near the baseline then become Zverev’s downfall. This time the error happens. In the following rally, Fritz builds up pressure, lets his opponent run and drives him into a mistake. 3:30 p.m.!
15:28
Zverev – Fritz 2:1
For the first time, Zverev doesn’t come first. Then Fritz hits the baseline on the return. Zverev brings the uncomfortably bouncing ball back and shortly afterwards scores with his backhand.
15:27
Zverev – Fritz 2:1
This time Zverev strikes, gets into the rally and then plays a very uncomfortable backhand slice. Fritz rolls the felt ball into the net and hands over his service.
15:26
Zverev – Fritz 1:1
Then a forehand from Fritz takes him to the ground too late. This gives Zverev a break opportunity in this game too.
15:24
Zverev – Fritz 1:1
Once again Fritz agonizes over his debut, but then serves with a slice to the outside. Zverev doesn’t bring the ball back. But shortly afterwards the US boy made the second double mistake.
15:22
Zverev – Fritz 1:1
Zverev plays the opponent strongly, steps into the field and executes with his forehand. Fritz once again has problems with his serve game, even though the first serve is now working.
15:21
Zverev – Fritz 1:1
Zverev uses the second ball with a 213 kilometer per hour serve. Fritz can’t do much with that.
3:20 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 0:1
Zverev makes the first serves in a row, finds his way into the match perfectly and quickly has three game balls. But then Fritz counters strongly with the backhand longline, producing his first winning shot of the game.
3:19 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 0:1
Zverev brings the first. Serve plus one – the forehand is in place. This is the first winner of the match from the game.
15:18
Zverev – Fritz 0:1
Fritz organizes the second game ball with an ace. Afterwards, the American also insists on a long rally. Zverev is getting too long. Fritz maintains his service with difficulty.
15:17
Zverev – Fritz 0:0
Then the first serve comes just in time. Fritz destroys the break chance with an ace. Another good first helps him get the ball.
3:16 p.m
Zverev – Fritz 0:0
The first one still doesn’t come. And then Fritz makes the first double fault, offering a first break ball.
15:14
Zverev – Fritz 0:0
The Californian’s first serve still doesn’t work at all. And Fritz also made a mistake in the first longer rally. 3:30 p.m.!
15:14
1st sentence
Fritz has just opened the match and has to try the second serve. Zverev’s forehand return lands in the net.
15:11
Head 2 Head
For the 16th time, both players will face each other in an official match. The first duel took place in 2013 at the US Open for juniors. Zverev won in two sets, but ultimately only managed a 6:9 record, as the American had recently developed into a fearsome opponent. Fritz has won all six duels against Zverev since Wimbledon 2024.
3:07 p.m
Entry and coin toss
At this moment our protagonists enter the Center Court. After a few steps of preparation, they meet at the net with the Brazilian chair umpire Fabio Souza for the vote. The coin falls in favor of the German, who decides to strike back. Afterwards they both play together some more.
14:57
Strong on grass
Fritz had just lost the first final in Stuttgart against the same Shelton and thus also came up short in his second final of the season. There have now been eleven defeats in the finals – including at the US Open and the ATP Finals 2024. The US boy was able to win ten tournaments. The most valuable triumph came at the Masters in Indian Wells in 2022. The right-hander all celebrated his last three successes on grass – including a year ago in Stuttgart and for the fourth time in Eastbourne. That makes a total of five lawn titles for the current ninth in the world rankings and the former number four in the world.
2:47 p.m
Fritz comes into his own for the first time in Halle
Fritz is in Halle for only the third time. His first two appearances in 2016 and 2019 didn’t last long; they both suffered opening defeats. This year the Californian won a match on the Westphalian lawn for the first time. There have now been three successes. On Wednesday it started with a three-set win against Zizou Bergs. In the round of 16, the fifth-seeded American easily beat Fábián Marozsán. Yesterday Fritz defied a set deficit and defeated third-seeded compatriot Ben Shelton in three tie-breaks.
2:37 p.m
Two-time finalist
Accordingly, Zverev was not yet allowed to lift the winner’s trophy in Halle. The right-hander is now making his tenth attempt since his debut in 2015. In the following two years he came very close, but lost the finals against Florian Mayer and Roger Federer. In the last three editions, the current number three in the world regularly failed in the semi-finals. This week, the top-seeded German beat the unseeded Vít Kopřiva in three sets and against Yannick Hanfmann and Raphaël Collignon without losing a set. The doubles competition ended alongside Marcelo Melo in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
14:27
Grand Slam champion
Zverev is now unbeaten in ten matches. The series of course began in Roland Garros, where the 29-year-old was finally able to win his first Grand Slam title. This was his first tournament win of 2026 and 25th overall. The former world number two now has everything together with two triumphs at the ATP Finals (2018, 2021) and the Olympic victory in 2021. But wait – one thing is missing. The Hamburg resident has not yet managed to win a tournament on grass.
2:17 p.m
Welcome
Welcome to the Terra Wortmann Open! The semi-finals are on the program at the 500cc tournament in Halle, Westphalia. First Alexander Zverev has to deal with Taylor Fritz. The match is scheduled to start around 3:00 p.m.