The level of play and the feelings continue to return, slowly but surely, on the side of Alexander Zverev, scorer on Thursday, in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 in Dubai, the Italian Lorenzo Sonego (7-5, 6- 4 in 1h52).
Seriously injured in the right ankle in the semi-finals of the last Roland-Garros (three torn ligaments, abandonment against Rafael Nadal), the 25-year-old German (16th ATP) finds the semi-finals for the first time since Paris in June. Faced with Lorenzo Sonego (67th, but feller the day before Félix Auger-Aliassime), Zverev was able to rest on his Maousse service, with rare precision, since he passed 81.9% of first serves, which falls within the top 5 of the best ratios of his career.
This efficiency preserved him from any break but not from any scare, since he found himself trailing 0-40 in his very first and very last game of the match. “Service, of course it is importanthe smiled after his victory ; it’s the only shot in tennis you can try to have full control over, and I’m glad I got five first balls out in a row at 0-40 in the last game. In five serves, the match was finished… “
“A lot to expect from the sequel”
Zverev, very expressive after each victory in Dubai in his demonstrations of joy towards his clan, confided his current happiness on the court: “After a very tough nine months, the hard work is paying off, and I am extremely happy with the recent progress and where I am today. It will be my first half since my injury, not the last, I hope… There is still a lot to look forward to. »
A continuation which will pass, for the ex world n ° 2, by a duel, Friday, against the Russian Andrey Rublev (6th), winner (6-3, 7-6) of his quarter-final against the Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp (33rd).
