Qualifying no stumbling block: scolding Zverev without losing a set

Qualifying no stumbling block
Scolding Zverev without losing a sentence

Alexander Zverev allows himself a few lack of concentration, but the qualifier Radu Albot is not a stumbling block. The German tennis star moves into the round of 16 of the Australian Open without losing a set. A completely different caliber awaits him on Sunday.

On the hoped-for path to the Grand Slam title premiere, Alexander Zverev has solved the next mandatory task. In the third round of the Australian Open, Germany’s best tennis player clearly won 6:3, 6:4, 6:4 against qualifier Radu Albot in Melbourne. The third in the world rankings reached the round of 16 without losing a set, but allowed himself to lose concentration against the outsider. The 24-year-old from Hamburg shook his head from time to time, scolded and once even threw his bat on the ground. “I didn’t feel perfect – but who is perfect? ​​In the end I won and I’m happy about it,” said Zverev in the winner’s interview on the pitch.

In the round of the top 16, Zverev meets the world number 14 on Sunday. Denis Shapovalov from Canada, who won 7: 6 (7: 4), 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4 against the American Reilly Opelka. Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal could wait in the quarterfinals. For such a task, Zverev would have to improve. “Hopefully there will be four more good matches for me,” he said.

Not in the Rod Laver Arena

The number of German tennis professionals at the Grand Slam tournament in the Australian metropolis had quickly decimated in the past few days. Zverev was the only one of twelve German participants to make it into the third round in singles. For the first time in his third match he didn’t get the honor of playing in the Rod Laver Arena, the largest tennis arena in Melbourne Park. For the first time, the 24-year-old was not scheduled for the night session. But when he started early in the evening, also due to the longer games in front of him, the pitch in the John Cain Arena was in the shade.

The world number 124. Albot initially skilfully shooed Zverev into the corners and served so uncompromisingly that he quickly had an advantage after his serve. As desired, the German number one managed the quick break to make it 2-0. When the ball landed on the line after a more spectacular hit, Zverev raised his arms and animated the audience. Even if the game against the 1.75 meter tall opponent didn’t continue so one-sidedly, it became apparent early on that it would not develop like the game in 2019.

At that time, Zverev had struggled for five sets at the US Open against his competitor, eight years his senior. Zverev wasn’t as mature then as he is now – and Albot was one of the top 50 players. Meanwhile, the only tennis pro from Moldova who has ever participated in a Grand Slam tournament is number 124.

Also Krawitz and Mies on the way

When music was mistakenly played for a brief moment at the beginning of the second set, Zverev looked grim – Albot smiled and took a 1-0 lead. A little later, the Hamburg player faced two breakballs, but fended them off with ease. Later there were three breakballs in a row, but Zverev didn’t let any loss of serve. Whenever he was focused he was in control of the game but made a number of unforced errors and didn’t seem happy with himself. When he failed to return at 1-1 in the third round, the bat landed on the ground.

Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies also have a chance of reaching the quarterfinals in doubles. In their second round match, Krawietz and Mies, seeded 12, defeated the Americans Austin Krajicek/Sam Querrey 6:4, 6:7 (7:9), 6:4. In order to progress, the duo now has to beat five-seeded John Peers from Australia and Filip Polasek from Slovakia.

“The draw is not easy,” said Krawietz after he had reached the round of 16 of the Australian Open for the first time together with Mies. Polasek secured the title with Croatian Ivan Dodig in Melbourne in 2021.

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