Just saw result of Alexander Zverev's quarterfinal match at French Open and honestly,that first set was something else . What a show of pure determination to turn things around.
The match was against this young Spanish player,Rafael Jodar,on June 2 . And Zverev won it 7-6 (3),6-1,6-3 to reach the semifinals for fifth time in six years,but score doesn't tell full story.
In the beginning,it looked really bad for Zverev on Court Philippe-Chatrier . This Jodar kid,only 19,was playing amazing tennis and had a 5-2 lead in first set. He was the one with 19 wins on clay this season,so he was not some random player ah.
And tbh,for a bit there I thought we were heading for major upset. Zverev looked completely off his game .
But then Zverev just flipped switch . He somehow fought back,won five of next six games,and took the set in a tiebreak . He later said it himself, "He was in rhythm,perfect rhythm,in first set. And I wasn't. I was very short and very defensive." That experience really showed under pressure .
Few things that really turned the match:
- His serve was crucial,winning 71% of his first serve points .
- At one point he just dominated,winning seven games in a row.
- This is his fifth semifinal,so he's desperate for that first Grand Slam title here.
After that first set struggle,it was all Zverev only . He completely established control,winning seven straight games between the second and third sets and never looked back.
Now with big names like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic out of draw,he is looking like a serious contender for the title rn . He has lost only one set in entire tournament so far .
But he's not getting ahead of himself . He said,"I want to continue. I want to win matches that I haven't been (winning). My goal." This shows how focused he is .
His next match is against either Jakub Mensik or Joao Fonseca . With the way he is playing after that first set scare,you have to wonder if this is finally his year at Roland Garros…
