Zverev advances to French Open last 16 after five-set thriller against Griekspoor
Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed from Germany, reached the French Open last 16 following a tense five-set match against Dutch 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor.
Despite trailing by a double break at 4-1 in the final set, Zverev rallied to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3) on Saturday.
This victory came shortly after a domestic abuse case against Zverev commenced in Berlin, which he denies, and he remains focused on the tournament in Paris.
Zverev, 27, a favorite for his first Grand Slam title this year, overcame early inconsistencies and avoided a shock exit as Griekspoor struggled under pressure.
Griekspoor, 27, who had never reached a major’s last 16 or defeated a top-10 opponent, faltered while serving for the match.
Zverev’s experience proved decisive in the match tie-break. He will next face Denmark’s 13th seed Holger Rune, who defeated Slovakia’s Jozef Kovalik.
Reflecting on the match, Zverev praised Griekspoor and acknowledged the challenge he posed. The victory, Zverev’s ninth straight on clay following his Rome title win, was sealed with a powerful 132mph ace. He expressed gratitude to the Parisian crowd for their support, stating it was unparalleled among Grand Slams.
Medvedev Advances, Shelton Exits
Elsewhere, fifth seed Daniil Medvedev overcame a third-set lapse to beat Tomas Machac 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, securing his place in the next round. Despite his known dislike for clay courts, Medvedev worked hard against the Czech player and will face Australia’s 11th seed Alex de Minaur next. De Minaur advanced by defeating Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.
American 15th seed Ben Shelton suffered a heavy defeat to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, losing 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. Auger-Aliassime will quickly return to action against third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the next session.
Additionally, 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov triumphed over Zizou Bergs, setting up a fourth-round match against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, the eighth seed, who beat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.
