AUDIO: Zverev moves into the quarterfinals in Halle (1 min)
As of: June 18, 2026 6:30 p.m
Alexander Zverev has overcome the next hurdle on the way to the hoped-for first lawn title in his career. At the ATP tournament in Halle/Westphalia, the Hamburg tennis professional defeated his compatriot Yannick Hanfmann and is now in the quarter-finals.
In the 6:3, 7:6 (7:4) win against the Karlsruher on Thursday, the newly crowned French Open winner presented himself in improved form compared to his opening match against the Czech Vít Kopřiva (6:3, 4:6, 6:2), but not yet in top condition in Paris when he won his first Grand Slam title in France’s metropolis.
“Not everything is working out yet. But I’ve only been playing on grass again for a few days and I’m still giving myself time.”
Alexander Zverev after his round of 16 victory
In the round of the last eight, Zverev, who reached the final in Halle in 2016 and 2017, will now face the winner of the duel between the two qualifiers Raphaël Collignon (Belgium) and Mattia Bellucci (Italy). Anything other than a victory for the top seed from Hamburg would be a huge surprise.
It will probably be more difficult for him in the semi-finals. The opponent there would be either Ben Shelton or Taylor Fritz. The two Americans will meet in the quarterfinals.
Zverev made almost no mistakes on his own serve
The German round of 16 duel was certainly not a treat for fans of long rallies. The game was – by no means unusual on grass – characterized by strong serves. Zverev only gave up three points on the first service in the entire game.
Hanfmann also acted almost flawlessly on his own serve, but was broken once in the first set and showed a mini-weakness in the tiebreak of the second section, which the Hamburg player immediately punished.
French Open winner wants to make up points on Alcaraz and Sinner
“It was a high level from both of us today, we both served very well,” said Zverev after the game on Center Court. Previously, grandma Natalia and his partner Sophia Thomalla had seen in the box how he decisively broke Hanfmann to make it 5-3 in the first set.
In a balanced first round, it was the only chance to break. Hanfmann mostly kept up well in the second set and didn’t allow much on his own serve. Zverev initially had the only chance to break when the score was 2-1, but Hanfmann kept the match open. The 34-year-old was only powerless in the tiebreak.
Zverev, currently third in the ATP world rankings, can reduce the gap in Halle to Carlos Alcaraz (Spain/missed the grass season injured) and Jannik Sinner (Italy/probably not starting a tournament before Wimbledon), who are ahead of him.
