Alexander Zverev was already serving to win the match in the third set – and promptly conceded a break. What happened next was like a true tennis thriller. With a better outcome for the German.
Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev has reached the semi-finals of the clay court Masters in Monte Carlo after a tough battle and continues to have his sights set on his first title in his adopted country. The Hamburg native won against Italy’s Jannik Sinner 5:7, 6:3, 7:6 (7:5), dropping a set for the first time in the tournament and facing intense challenges.
“I’ve lost a few close duels this season, this time I had the better end for me,” said Zverev: “This match will definitely help me. I’m glad I got through it. “
First win over Sinner on clay
On Saturday, the world number three will play either defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) or Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) for a place in the final. After the early exit of world number one Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Zverev is the highest seeded player in Monte Carlo and can make up points in the battle for the lead in the rankings.
After 3:05 hours, Zverev (24) managed his third win in his fourth match against Sinner, who is four years younger than him – and his first on clay. After a weak spring so far on the hard courts in Australia and the USA, Zverev seems to be getting into form in the Principality. After Monte Carlo, he travels on to another “home match” in Munich. The French Open, the highlight of the clay season, begins on 22 May in Paris.
Zverev has won three of his five titles at Masters tournaments on clay. He won twice in Madrid and once in Rome. In Monte Carlo, he is in the semi-finals for the second time after 2018. Last year, Zverev was defeated in the third round by Belgian David Goffin.
The second semi-final will be contested by Alexander Davidovich Fokina of Spain and Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria). Davidovich Fokina continued his run after defeating Djokovic to move into the top four at a Masters for the first time by beating Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz (USA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Dimitrov beat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 3-6: 7-6 (7-2).
