Roland-Garros: Zverev secures statement win over Tiafoe, moves into second week

No 22 seed Alexander Zverev, has moved into the last 16 of Roland-Garros with a statement win over American Frances Tiafoe, the No 12 seed, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (5) at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris on Saturday evening.

The win is Zverev’s first top 20 victory since injuring his ankle on these same courts 12 months ago.

Since then, the German has struggled to return to the level that saw him contest back-to-back semi-finals at Roland-Garros. With more than six months off injured, and a 16-14 record heading into Roland-Garros, Zverev shared what the victory over Tiafoe means to him:

“It’s been the hardest year in my life. I’m not playing tennis for fame or money, I’m just loving the competition. To be far from that was tough. I’m so happy to be back, it’ll be a great second week for me.”

Tiafoe fails to close out fourth set, Zverev capitalises

Despite this match only lasting four sets, it had it all.

Frances Tiafoe started the fastest of the two, racing out to a 6-3 scoreline in the first set. However, Zverev knuckled in and took the second to a tiebreaker, winning 7-3 when it mattered most. The German then built on his second set momentum and tore through the third, claiming it 6-1.

In the fourth, Tiafoe looked as though he had recovered his confidence and was going to take the match to a decider. Serving at 5-3 and up 30-0, Tiafoe was unable to close out however, striking three unforced errors to drop his serve.

Zverev then capitalised on a poor backhand day from the American, taking the set to another tiebreak which he again won, this time 7-5.

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Opportunity for Zverev in bottom half of draw at Roland-Garros

With Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner out of Alexander Zverev’s quarter, the No 22 seed has an excellent opportunity to make yet another deep run at Roland-Garros.

Next up the German will face No 28 seed Grigor Dimitrov, who overcame Zverev’s compatriot Daniel Altmaier in straight sets earlier today.

Paris (Grand Slam), other third-round results (Stade Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 49.600.000, most recent results first):

• Grigor Dimitrov beat Daniel Altmaier: 6-4, 6-3, 6-1
• Francisco Cerundolo (23) beat Taylor Fritz (9): 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Borna Coric (15): 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Nicolas Jarry beat Marcos Giron: 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-3
• Holger Rune (6) beat Genaro Alberto Olivieri (Q): 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
• Yoshihito Nishioka (27) beat Thiago Seyboth Wild (Q): 3-6, 7-6 (8), 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
• Casper Ruud (4) beat Zhizhen Zhang: 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz (1) beat Denis Shapovalov (26): 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
• Juan Pablo Varillas beat Hubert Hurkacz (13): 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (5) beat Diego Schwartzman: 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
• Lorenzo Musetti (17) beat Cameron Norrie (14): 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
• Novak Djokovic (3) beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (29): 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Sebastian Ofner (Q) beat Fabio Fognini: 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
• Lorenzo Sonego beat Andrey Rublev (7): 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Karen Khachanov (11) beat Thanasi Kokkinakis (WC): 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5)