Alexander Zverev is one round further at the US Open. He beat the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
In the first two sets, Alexander Zverev and his opposite number player Grigor Dimitrov gave each other nothing at the US Open. Round one went to the Bulgarian after a tiebreak, the second also to the German after a tiebreak. In the third set, however, Zverev lived up to his role as favourite in his first night session. In the fourth, decisive set, the picture was similar: In the round of 16, the Olympic champion will meet Jannik Sinner, the sixth-ranked player in the world, and the Italian will be the first really tough opponent for Zverev on Monday (local time).
At the start of the night session at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, the match developed at a high level, with Dimitrov causing problems for Zverev, especially with his many slice shots. “I haven’t seen such a strong Dimitrov in a long time,” said expert Boris Becker on the microphone – and the Bulgarian won the first set in a tiebreak after 1:10 hours. Nevertheless, the German was enthusiastic about the match. “I missed these battles and this atmosphere in New York,” said Zverev.
Tiebreak drama in the second set
About three weeks ago in Cincinnati, Zverev had easily dominated the Bulgarian 6-2, 6-2, but the former world number three did not let up. Zverev pushed himself, the Hamburg player’s nerves held in the second set and he equalised after a dramatic tiebreak – the turning point in the match.
The world number twelve is the last remaining German tennis professional in the singles competitions at Flushing Meadows. The strong Italian Jannik Sinner could be waiting for Zverev in the round of 16, followed by defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
2020 Zverev reached the final in New York and narrowly missed out on his first Grand Slam victory.
