Zverev moves past Nadal’s record and into the semis to set up a Fritz rematch
A 10th straight win, a record taken outright from Rafael Nadal, and a familiar obstacle ahead: Alexander Zverev (No 1) beat Raphael Collignon 7-6 (10), 7-6 (2) to reach the Halle semi-finals.
Alexander Zverev, Halle 2026 | © Imago / PsNewz
German top seed Alexander Zverev extended his winning run to 10 matches on Friday, edging Belgian Raphael Collignon 7-6 (10), 7-6 (2) to reach the semi-finals of the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle and move clear of Rafael Nadal’s record at ATP 500 level.
Neither set was as comfortable as the straight-sets scoreline suggests. Collignon, the world No 51, held three set points in a marathon opening tie-break before Zverev saved them all and took it 12-10, the swing that ultimately decided the contest.
The German pulled away in the second-set breaker to close out a win that, a day after he had equalled Nadal’s mark of 121 match wins in the category, took him past the Spaniard and into sole possession of the record.
The victory continued the momentum Zverev has carried since winning his maiden Grand Slam at Roland-Garros earlier this month, a run that now stands at 10 straight wins.
He had reached the last eight with victories over compatriot Yannick Hanfmann (6-3, 7-6 (4)) and Czech Vit Kopriva (6-3, 4-6, 6-2), while Collignon had impressed in beating Italian Mattia Bellucci (4-6, 6-4, 6-3) and Australian Alexei Popyrin (6-4, 6-2) to reach his first quarter-final at the event.
Zverev will face American fifth seed Taylor Fritz, who has beaten him in each of their last six meetings – including, most recently, Fritz’s three-tie-break win over Ben Shelton in the quarter-final here.
Zverev, a finalist in Halle in 2016 and 2017 and a semi-finalist in each of the last three years, is still chasing a first title at the tournament.
