Tennis professional Alexander Zverev is playing out of the form crisis at the Masters in Madrid. The Olympic champion defeated Canadian top player Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday night in the quarterfinals 6: 3, 7: 5 and now meets Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I think that was maybe the best match from my side in the last few months, except maybe a bit at the end,” said Zverev: “I played good tennis for a set and a half and I hope I can continue playing like this.”
A good two weeks before the start of the French Open in Roland Garros, Zverev appeared concentrated and dominant for a long time after changing coaches to former clay court specialist Sergi Bruguera.
He never really let his opponent get into the match, but then briefly lost the thread in the second set when the score was 4:1. But Zverev fought back and saved himself an exhausting night shift with a third sentence.
Now Zverev is up against Tsitsipas, against whom he has only won three out of ten duels. In the last game of the two at the Masters three weeks ago in Monte Carlo, the Greek won straight in two sets.
“Rafa is on the way back and Novak is gradually gaining momentum but at the moment he is maybe the best clay court player in the world,” Zverev said of Tsitsipas: “I think I have to play my best level to have a chance but I’m looking forward to this game because he beat me pretty easily in Monte Carlo. I hope I can change that.”
Novak Djokovic is also making significant steps forward in Madrid. The world number one showed a sovereign performance in 6: 3, 6: 4 against the Poland Hubert Hurkacz, who was in twelfth place.
In the semi-finals, Djokovic is challenged by a shooting star. Carlos Alcaraz (19) defeated the old master Rafael Nadal (35) for the first time in the third Spanish generation duel, although he twisted his ankle painfully in the 6: 2, 1: 6, 6: 3. Alcaraz is the first player under 20 to beat Nadal on clay.
Djokovic takes it easy. “I don’t care who’s on the other side of the net,” said the Serb. “I just want to get better and better, every day. I’m just focusing on myself right now.”
Since his comeback, Djokovic’s goal has been to get himself up to his top level for the French Open starting May 22nd. The 34-year-old is the defending champion at Roland Garros. At the Australian Open in January, the 20-time Grand Slam winner was not allowed to start as an unvaccinated athlete.