The German is getting ready for another five-setter ahead of his first ever major quarterfinal.
Alexander Zverev told reporters on Sunday in Paris that he’s expecting another five-setter when he faces Dominic Thiem in quarterfinal action on Tuesday.
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And if his expectations are met, the 21-year-old German says he’ll be ready.
“I’m not concerned,” said Zverev. “Mentally definitely not, because I’m in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam—if you’re mentally fatigued than something is wrong with you.”
Zverev says that stamina won’t be a problem either.
“Physically obviously it’s not easy to play back-to-back-to-back five-set matches,” Zverev said. “But I’ll manage it somehow, I’ll do everything I can to recover. … And I’ll make sure to be ready in two day’s time.”
The World No.3 has achieved several career firsts this week in Paris, and removed a few monkeys from his back. He defeated a Top 50 player for the first time at a major in the third round when he defeated Damir Dzumhur (he was previously 0-7), and on Sunday he booked a spot in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal (in his 12th major) with his 4-6, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 over Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
"I'm very happy about being in the quarter-finals here, going the hard way, going long distance every single time and showing myself,showing everybody, that I can play for as long as I need to," said Zverev.
On Tuesday the stakes will be higher when Zverev faces one of the best clay-courters in the world in Thiem. The Austrian, into a third straight quarterfinal at Roland Garros after defeating Kei Nishikori in four sets on Sunday, fell to Zverev in this year’s Madrid final but owns the 4-2 lifetime edge over his rival.
Thiem also took their only meeting at a major in 2016 when he defeated Zverev in four sets in the third round at Roland Garros. Four of their previous six meeting have gone to a deciding third set, but the pair have never gone the distance in a best-of-five format.
Playing 18 sets in four matches at the most grueling Grand Slam is certainly not a good plan, but it seems to have worked for Zverev until now. He’ll certainly not lack belief after what he’s gone through in Paris. Zverev came to Roland Garros on a three-match losing streak in five-setters at the majors. Now he is the eighth player in Roland Garros history to ever win three straight consecutive five-setters.
Alexander Zverev becomes 8th man in Open Era to win 3 straight matches in 5 sets at @RolandGarros.
* Alexander Zverev 2018
* @TRobredo 2013
* @Gael_Monfils 2006
* @AlbertCostilla 2003
* @GugaKuerten 1997
* @RichardKrajicek 1993
* Eliot Teltscher 1979
* Rolf Gehring 1978— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) June 3, 2018
If Zverev has his way, by Tuesday night he’ll have become the first player in ATP history to have won four straight five-setters at a major. It’s hard to fathom that this was a player labelled for underperforming at the majors and lacking the physicality to excel in the best-of-five matches.
Things change fast in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of high stakes tennis.
Zverev is well on his way to establishing himself as a clutch performer at the majors now. And he’s still got more to prove.
“I’m expecting another five-set match,” said Zverev. “I’ll get myself ready for that.”
