Thiem to meet Zverev in quarters
Second-seeded German enters first Grand Slam quarter-final with third straight five-set victory
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev has reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal the hard way, beating Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (4), 2,6, 6-3, 6-3 yesterday for his third straight comeback win in five sets.
The latest gritty victory came with the usual temper flare-ups from Zverev. But the German player also showed, once again, that he knows how to dig deep when it matters. In all three of his five-setters at Roland Garros he has trailed 2-1 in sets.
“I’m young. I might as well stay on court and entertain you guys,” the 21-year-old Zverev joked with the crowd. “This definitely paid off, the hours in the gym every day… Everything comes together slowly and I’m happy to be here.”
Zverev says he spends up to four hours each day working on weights and fitness in the gym. He might well need to up that schedule considering his quarter-final opponent is No. 7 Dominic Thiem of Austria, who is one of the fittest players on the men’s circuit and has reached the past two semifinals at Roland Garros.
Thiem beat No. 19 Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2, 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier. He missed an easy forehand on his first match point, biting down on his fingers in frustration. He converted on his next chance when Nishikori’s looping return landed long.
Nishikori won just 14 points in the first set and nine in the second, losing to Thiem for the first time. “The first two sets were amazing,” Thiem said.
On Court Suzanne Lenglen, Zverev’s smash at the net gave him match point, which he took when Khachanov netted a forehand. Zverev sank to his knees in celebration. He then patted Khachanov, a friend from their junior days, sympathetically on the chest before pumping his arms in celebration. At the start of the fifth set, Zverev had a medical time out for treatment for an apparent blister on his left foot.