Alexander Zverev endured a fierce battle against young talent Arthur Fils to clinch a hard-fought victory at the Halle Open, advancing to the semifinals after a grueling encounter lasting 2 1/2 hours. Despite his hopes for shorter matches on grass, the world No. 4 had to dig deep, eventually triumphing 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4.
The German, still chasing his maiden grass-court title, reflected on his contrasting fortunes post the French Open marathon, where he fell in a five-set thriller to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. “After the French Open, I was hoping for quicker matches on grass, but I seem to continue playing my usual lengthy battles,” Zverev quipped.
Zverev’s path to the semifinals saw him navigate past qualifier Oscar Otte in a three-set opener and dispatch Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets. His next challenge comes against Hubert Hurkacz, who secured his spot by defeating Marcos Giron 7-6 (5), 6-4.
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In other quarterfinal action, top seed Jannik Sinner faced off against Jan-Lennard Struff, with Zhang Zhizhen and Christopher Eubanks also battling it out for a place in the next round.
Zverev’s quest for a 23rd tour title intensifies as he looks to capitalize on his strong form in Halle. Stay updated with the latest developments from the tournament as the competition heats up.
