NEW DELHI: Alexander Zverev has secured his place in the semi-finals of the French Open for the fourth consecutive year, defeating Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 on Wednesday. The German fourth seed showcased his resilience and tactical prowess, wrapping up the match in under three hours.
Zverev will face Norwegian Casper Ruud for a place in Sunday’s final. Ruud advanced to the semi-finals after receiving a walkover due to Novak Djokovic's injury withdrawal. Riding high on an 11-match winning streak, including a recent title at the Rome Masters, Zverev aims to reach his first final at Roland Garros.
"I'm happy to be in another semi-final. Hopefully I can win one," said Zverev, reflecting on his achievement. He highlighted his preparedness, attributing his stamina to rigorous offseason work. "Everybody in the press keeps asking me what I do for recovery and the answer is very simple -- you don't recover after matches, you recover in the off-season."
The match against de Minaur featured pivotal moments, especially in the second set. Zverev saved a set point at 5-6 and clinched a crucial 39-shot rally during the tie-break, ultimately sealing the set at the first opportunity. "I have the mindset you have to work harder than everyone else to be the best player. I like to work to my absolute limit. If I do that then playing five sets all of a sudden is not that difficult," Zverev remarked.
De Minaur, despite the loss, praised his own efforts and acknowledged the challenge posed by Zverev. "I'm extremely proud of my efforts through the two weeks. Even today I think I put up a hell of a fight in difficult conditions against a quality opponent," he said. The Australian rued missing a key opportunity in the second set tie-break, which could have altered the match's trajectory.
Zverev's semi-final run comes amid the backdrop of an ongoing trial in Berlin over allegations of assault, but he remains focused on his tennis ambitions. He hopes to overcome the hurdles that previously thwarted his quest for a French Open final, including a serious ankle injury against Rafael Nadal in 2022 and a five-set loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2021.
