Zverev blasts his way into first semi
GERMAN young gun Alexander Zverev stormed into his first grand slam semi-final yesterday, rallying from a set down to shatter the dreams of veteran Stan Wawrinka.
The seventh seed was thumped in the first set but recovered to grind down the 2014 Australian Open champion 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in hot sun on Rod Laver Arena.
He will face either world No. 1 Rafael Nadal or Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the last four.
“It feels awesome,” said Zverev who has been donating $10,000 for each win at Melbourne Park to Australian bushfire relief, and will even hand over the $4.12 million winner’s cheque if he clinches the title.
“I’ve done well at other tournaments and in other matches but could never break that barrier in grand slams. You can’t imagine what this means to me.
“It hope it will be the first of many.”
Big things have been tipped for Zverev since he burst into the top 10 in 2017, but until now the 22-year-old has not fully delivered, slipping down the rankings last year to seven from four.
But after a poor build-up to the year’s opening major at the ATP Cup, where he lost all three matches, he worked hard on the practice court and has been in fine touch to finally make a grand slam last four at his 19th attempt.
His serve, a key focus of his extended practice, was a weapon once again against 34year-old three-time grand slam champion Wawrinka.
He fired 13 aces against just one double fault, with a firstserve percentage of 80 per cent.
After dropping the first set in just 24 minutes, Zverev needed to hold his opening serve in the second set to halt the Wawrinka juggernaut and he rose to the occasion, with his court coverage and groundstrokes raising a level.
It went with serve until game eight when Wawrinka drilled a forehand into the net and Zverev screamed ‘C’mon’ after his first break of the match, serving out for the set.
A resurgent Zverev rammed home his advantage with an early break in the third. Wawrinka was out of fight and Zverev had him dancing to his tune as he raced to victory.