Alexander Zverev extends perfect record over Cameron Norrie to reach Melbourne second week
The No 3 seed Alexander Zverev continued his dominance over Cameron Norrie on Friday night, securing a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory to advance to the Australian Open round of 16 for the third consecutive year.
Alexander Zverev, 2025 | © Imago / PsNewz
The 28-year-old German Alexander Zverev showcased why he has become the ultimate “bête noire” for the British No 2, extending his flawless head-to-head record against Norrie to 7-0 on the ATP Tour. In a high-stakes encounter at Melbourne Park, the world No 3 utilized his formidable serve and baseline consistency to dismantle the challenge of the 30-year-old No 26 seed.
While Norrie managed to snatch the second set – the first time he has taken a set off the German since their marathon five-set meeting at this tournament in 2024 – he was unable to sustain the physical intensity required to disrupt Zverev’s rhythm as the match crossed the three-hour mark.
Zverev maintains iron grip on one-sided rivalry
The match began as a tactical arm-wrestle, with Zverev claiming a tight opening set 7-5 before Norrie responded with the gritty, grinding style that earned him the “Marathon Man” moniker earlier this week.
The Briton, ranked No 27, arrived in the third round after surviving grueling battles against Emilio Nava and Benjamin Bonzi, and that accumulated fatigue appeared to catch up with him in the latter stages of Friday’s contest. After losing the third set 6-3, Norrie’s resistance faded in the fourth, where Zverev’s serve became an impenetrable wall.
The German has faced a variety of challenges this week, having previously edged out Alexandre Muller and Gabriel Diallo in four sets each, but his performance against Norrie was his most clinical display of the fortnight.
By reaching the last 16, Zverev has now made the second week in seven of his last eight appearances in Melbourne. His ability to navigate the tricky early rounds despite a shaky pre-season has established him once again as a primary threat in the top half of the draw.
His game-plan centered on neutralizing Norrie’s left-handed angles and forcing the Briton into long, punishing rallies where Zverev’s superior reach and wing-span provided a decisive advantage. As the match reached its conclusion, the German’s confidence was evident, striking clean winners to secure his 34th career match win at the year’s first Grand Slam.
A fourth round clash with Francisco Cerundolo
The focus now shifts to a blockbuster encounter in the round of 16, where Alexander Zverev will face the No 18 seed Francisco Cerundolo.
The Argentinian reached the fourth round earlier on Friday with a statement straight-sets victory over Andrey Rublev, signaling that he is in the form of his life on hard courts. Cerundolo has not dropped a set all week, presenting a stark contrast to Zverev, who has surrendered a set in each of his first three rounds.
The upcoming matchup will be a test of Zverev’s endurance against the “Argentine fire” of Cerundolo’s heavy forehand. For the No 3 seed, the path to a second consecutive Australian Open final remains open, but he will need to maintain the high first-serve percentage that carried him through the final sets against Norrie.
As the tournament enters its business end, Zverev’s history of deep runs in Melbourne and his current 7-0 dominance over top-tier grinders like Norrie suggest he is peaking at exactly the right moment.
