The German is the only player to reach the semi-finals in all past three editions of Roland-Garros
©️Nicolas Gouhier / FFTOne of the leading contenders at Roland-Garros 2024, Alexander Zverev bolstered his title credentials with an absorbing five-set rollercoaster meeting with Tallon Griekspoor on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Zverev erased a double break deficit in the deciding set to take the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6[10-3] in more than four hours of action.
The German – runner-up at the US Open in 2020, six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist and champion at the Rome Masters last month – will now aim for a spot in the last eight and a clash with either No.13 seed Holger Rune or Jozef Kovalik.
Griekspoor executed his tactics with precision to snatch an early lead. His drop shot and backhand slice were unsettling Zverev.
The Dutchman served for the opener at 5-3, scuttling forward on pretty much every point, forcing the No.4 seed to find a pass. At the third attempt, Griekspoor found the telling volley to go a set up in a quick-fire 38 minutes.
Zverev was off kilter, his shots popping up into the strike zone of the world No.25. However, the German managed to connect with a reflex volley at the net and rainbowed a lob over Griekspoor, showing his Grand Slam tennis experience.
At 5-4, a cross-court forehand on the run ramped up the pressure and Zverev broke to love to level the sets. He then powered through 11 consecutive points to go 3-0 up and from then on was seemingly unstoppable until 2-2 in the fourth. Griekspoor pounced on an error-strewn game to wrestle back the initiative. His net prowess returned and the Dutchman connected with a backhand drive volley to haul the No.4 seed into a decider.
Griekspoor was on the cusp of a first career triumph over a top 5 opponent and his smooth approach play quickly built up a 4-1 lead.
However, a selection of fine margin misses opened the door for Zverev and the world No.4 managed to force a match tie-break.
Up stepped Zverev with all his Grand Slam expertise. The pivotal moment came at 6-2, with an off-balance Zverev scooping a backhand down the line to propel himself towards the last 16.
Zverev extended his astonishing five-set record to 22-11. At Roland-Garros that tally moves to 9-1.
The 27-year-old's seventh successive trip into the fourth round in Paris was built off the back of 56 winners.
Griekspoor applied the pressure with 67 approaches to the net, claiming 47 successful points. On top of that the Dutchman chipped in 24 drop shots. Somehow, Zverev found a way and was boosted by 28 passing shot winners.
"Wow, I feel incredible. It was an incredible match, he's an incredible player, he's unbelievably dangerous," said Zverev.
"I always struggle against him, I don't like to play him. All the credit to him, taking it all the way. One or two points, here or there, what a fighter.
"When you are down 4-1, double break against him, there's a very small chance you're going to come back. I felt like I played a really, really good game at 4-1 down. 4-3 I think he started to think. I feel like the tie-break was my best tennis throughout the entire match.
"Obviously extremely happy that I won and that I'm still in the tournament. The atmosphere was unbelievable and I loved every second of it."
©Cedric Lecocq / FFT
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
