Olympic champions Zverev, Bencic advance to US Open quarterfinals

NEW YORK — Alexander Zverev and Belinda Bencic want a trophy in their hands to go with the gold medals they had around their necks.

The Tokyo Olympics tennis champions both moved into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Monday, getting a step closer to their first Grand Slam titles.

Zverev beat Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7) for his 15th straight victory. The No. 4 seed from Germany started that run in Japan, carried it through a title in Cincinnati

and then kept right on going at the U.S. Open, where he was the runner-up to Dominic Thiem last year.

“I’m happy where I am, I’m happy with how things are, and I’m happy with how things were the last few months,” Zverev said. “I’m in the quarterfinals now, and from here on, the matches will definitely not get easier.”

Zverev said his gold medal is with him in New York. The 24year-old, who has been accused by a former girlfriend of domestic abuse, joked in his on-court interview that he cuddles with the medal when he’s in bed because he doesn’t have a girlfriend.

He said keeping the medal with him is a way to remind himself of his success over the last month. He pointed to the confidence he’s gained from it as a reason he pulled out a couple of close games late in the second set, then came from behind to take the tiebreaker.

“I think that’s maybe the last few months for me, right there,” he said.

Bencic also had her best result in a major at the U.S. Open, reaching the semifinals in 2019 in her

Al Bello / Getty Images Belinda Bencic of Switzerland hits a return to Iga Swiatek of Poland during their fourth round match at the U.S. Open on Monday in New York.