By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, January 22, 202
The Comfortable Slam has felt like a strain cooker for Alexander Zverev.
Zverev has dealt with the warmth with hard-core aggressive hearth.
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A centered Zverev gained 21 of 25 first-serve factors within the remaining set edging Cameron Norrie 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) in a four-hour, five-minute Australian Open fourth-round victory.
It was Zverev’s second fifth-set tiebreaker triumph in 4 match wins this week coming two rounds after he out-dueled qualifier Lukas Klein 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(7).
The excellent news for Zverev: he has been decisive going the space. Zverev scored his fifth consecutive five-set win, bettering to 21-10 in profession five-setters.
The dangerous information for Zverev: he’ll face far brisker Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz for a semifinal spot.
The second-ranked Alcaraz destroyed Miomir Kecmanovic, who was coming off a five-set win over 2023 semifinalist Tommy Paul, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 roaring into his maiden Australian Open quarterfinal.
Alcaraz has spent about eight hours, 42-minutes on courtroom, whereas Zverev has toiled almost 5 hours longer.
Conceding fatigue could possibly be an element towards the 20-year-old Spaniard, Zverev defiantly declared “I am not lifeless.”
“If you happen to play much less, you might be brisker, however I really feel okay. I am not just like the US Open the place I used to be fully lifeless and the place I really feel like I am bodily exhausted,” Zverev advised the media in Melbourne. “I am drained, for positive, as a result of I performed 7-6 within the fifth set once more two occasions out of the final three matches, however I am not lifeless.
“I am not fully exhausted. I am not in the identical bodily state I used to be within the US Open.
“I count on it to be very completely different, to be trustworthy.”
Alcaraz is gearing up for an additional shot on the Olympic gold-medal champion.
The sixth-seeded Zverev has gained 4 of seven conferences vs. Alcaraz, together with a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 victory on the ATP Finals final November.
Nonetheless, two-time main champion Alcaraz swept Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 within the US Open quarterfinals final September.
“He’s a extremely nice participant. He has crushed nice guys right here on this match,” Alcaraz mentioned of Zverev. “Clearly I really like enjoying towards him. It is at all times a troublesome battles. I’ve to play my greatest degree. He push me to play my 100% each time.
“The final time we face one another, I misplaced. So I’ve to be deal with that. I’ve to enhance my degree from that match. I’ll take pleasure in. I’ll take pleasure in that match. I’ll take pleasure in enjoying the quarterfinals towards him… I believe for the group it’ll be a fantastic match, as properly.”
The final time Zverev confronted Alcaraz in a significant, he was coming off an exhilarating five-set win over Jannik Sinner on the US Open.
The German believes his ferocity can fight fatigue and Alcaraz of their AO rematch.
“I additionally assume that popping out on the Rod Laver Area at 7 p.m. for a quarterfinal match towards the No. 2 participant on the earth, that offers you power, as properly,” Zverev mentioned. “I hope it’ll be a really enjoyable, entertaining match.”
Picture credit score: Nicolo Campo
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