‘I'm doing great now,’ was Alexander Zverev's response to the first question from stadium announcer Björn Sassenroth after the German's progress to the quarter-finals. ‘If you had asked me that ten minutes ago, the answer would have been completely different,’ said the relieved world number three after his laboured victory over Lorenzo Sonego (Italy). The German defeated his Italian opponent 3:6, 6:4, 7:6(2).
Alexander Zverev was the better server throughout the match, not conceding a point or just one point in eleven of his 15 service games. Lorenzo Sonego had much more trouble. It was just unfortunate that at 4:3 in the first set, the Italian failed a service game and conceded a break. Shortly afterwards, Lorenzo Sonego, who always plays very solidly, managed to hold his serve to take the first set 6:3.
Alexander Zverev became more courageous in the second set. While he easily won his service games, he repeatedly embarrassed his 30-year-old opponent with his returns, but he was unable to break. It was not until the score was 5:4 in favour of the German. Lorenzo Sonego made avoidable mistakes and the set was levelled.
The same picture in the deciding set: Alexander Zverev wins his service games easily, Lorenzo Sonego with difficulty. But there was no chance of a break. The tie-break has to decide the match. And this tie-break becomes a festival for Alexander Zverev. The Italian only managed two points and at 6:2, the German, seeded second in Halle, converted his first match point after a total of two hours and 23 minutes to make it 3:6, 6:4, 7:6(2). ‘I'm feeling great now’, but his focus will soon be on his quarter-final match against the next Italian. Flavio Cobolli (Italy), who defeated Denis Shapovalov (Canada) in three tight sets, is just as unpleasant an opponent as Lorenzo Sonego.
