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French Open: Zverev only prevented a debacle thanks to an act of strength

Tennis French Open

Only thanks to a show of strength does Zverev prevent a debacle

As of 6:56 p.m

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Alexander Zverev surprisingly had to go over five sets against Argentine Baez

What: AFP/ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

Alexander Zverev narrowly escapes embarrassment at the French Open. Against Sebastian Baez, the German is already 0: 2 behind in sets. With his last strength, the co-favorite saves himself against the outsider in the third round.

NAfter his resounding victory, Alexander Zverev roared his relief and let the spectators celebrate him. The Olympic champion reached the third round at the French Open thanks to a great effort and after defending a match point.

Zverev won against Argentinian Sebastian Baez 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 1, 6: 2, 7: 5 in Paris on Wednesday and thus averted another early Grand Slam disappointment at the last moment. After 3:36 hours he converted his first match point.

Angelique Kerber had previously advanced to the third round with a 6: 1, 7: 6 (7: 2) against the French wildcard player Elsa Jacquemot. Andreas Petkovic, on the other hand, was eliminated by Viktoria Asarenka 1: 6, 6: 7 (3: 7).

French Open

Especially at the beginning of the match, Alexander Zverev seemed almost desperate

What: REUTERS

“You can’t play worse than in the first one and a half sentences,” said Zverev after his victory. “I’m happy that I was able to shoot the thing in the end.”

Terrible performance at the beginning

Zverev did indeed show a desolate performance for one and a half sentences. The 25-year-old didn’t look fresh, unfocused and made numerous simple mistakes. Zverev began to moan early on and to discuss with his father in the stands. The windy conditions on the Philippe Chatrier court also didn’t seem to suit the German number one. Zverev gave up the first set after just 34 minutes.

In the second round, too, nothing went together for him at first. Baez quickly pulled away to 4-0, threatening a debacle for the world number three. But then Zverev finally fought his way into the game and resisted the Argentine, against whom he had won in two sets in Rome two weeks ago.

French Open

Sebastian Baez sniffed the sensation against the favorite for a long time

What: REUTERS

Although he didn’t manage to turn the second set, the native of Hamburg got the third round in a fast run. Zverev also managed a quick break in the fourth set and a little later equalized the set.

Gripping fifth movement

In the fifth set, Zverev and Baez then fought a gripping fight that delighted the spectators. In between even the La Ola sloshed through the stadium. When the score was 4: 5, Zverev was only one point away from the end. But he kept his nerve and clinched victory a little later.

Kerber had to fight much less hard to get ahead and still has good prospects for the best result in Paris of her career. The woman from Kiel was only challenged a little in the second set against the 19-year-old Jacquemot. In the third round on Friday, Kerber will meet Alexandra Sasnowitsch from Belarus, who surprisingly defeated the British US Open winner Emma Raducanu 3: 6, 6: 1, 6: 1.

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“Once you’ve won everything, you only play for the love of the sport. And I love tennis,” said Kerber in the winner’s interview when asked by former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli why she was still on the tour at the age of 34.

The girl from Kiel didn’t have to play her best tennis against the local hero. Instead, two days after her marathon match against Magdalena Frech from Poland, an average performance was enough for her first third-round entry in Paris in four years. Her best result in the French capital so far is reaching the quarterfinals in 2012 and 2018. The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament she hasn’t won yet.

Are you now starting to think about the career grand slam, i.e. the triumph in all four major tournaments? “I think that’s still too far away to even think about it,” said Kerber. “Of course it would be a dream, but it still feels so far away. Being here in lap three is a success for me.”

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