French Open: Zverev’s madness with method and morality

Alexander Zverev’s five-sentence thrillers slowly remind us of the battles of German tennis grandmaster Boris Becker. He describes the hamburger’s achievements in Paris as a breakthrough and milestone.

It looked a little melodramatic, Alexander Zverev’s kneeling in the red sand of Paris, his grip on the heart. But it was also really great tennis, really great Grand Slam cinema, finally a rousing unleashing act that the young German conjured up under the Eiffel Tower. Zverev seemed to be beaten again, he was already trailing again with 1:2 sets. But the Russian Karen Khachanov was also a victim of Zverev’s impressive morale and passion, 4:6, 7:6, 2:6, 6:3 and 6:3 at the end of the next French Open drama, the 21-year-old from Hamburg won, thus reaching the first major quarter-final of his increasingly brilliant career.

“I’m just happy the way I fought my way through it. Giving up doesn’t count,” said Zverev, who was celebrated by the fans on Court Suzanne Lenglen after the 209-minute battle. Now Zverev’s Austrian friend Dominic Thiem is waiting for a thrilling duel in the round of the last eight. A good three weeks ago, Zverev had won the Masters final in Madrid with confidence against Thiem. The 22-year-old Maximilian Marterer from Nuremberg had hardly any chance of a quarter-final place, he had the Hercules task against ten-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal in front of him on Monday.

Three chases in a row, three vibrating battles of nerves with a happy ending, it seemed like a beckeresque grand slam show, which the new superstar Zverev has been putting on in Paris for a few days now. Like once with the great tennis champion, it was never quite clear where the game was going with and from Zverev. But on the home stretch, the third in the world rankings was always the man who held the control of the action in his hand – with extremely good nerves, overwhelming dominance and the quality to cope with even minor setbacks. “Whoever plays his best tennis when it comes to the decision is playing the tennis of champions,” said Becker himself, the TV expert from Eurosport. In the fifth movement Zverev acted as if in a trance, according to Becker, “he was in the zone. He could no longer feel his tiredness, and he wanted this victory with all his might, with real greed.”

Anyway, Zverev’s appearance, his stature, his whole appearance could hardly have been more different from those of the last Grand Slam years. Zverev had also come to Paris in 2017 with great ambitions as Masters winner from Rome – and then failed in the first round due to the Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. Zverev still seemed immature, it was obvious to him that he was not yet mentally one hundred percent ready for the demanding Grand Slam tennis. Now, however, fans, experts and fellow players experienced a man who still left potential open, room for improvement, but who above all had nervous stability and won the Big Points. Everyone can play first-class tennis in the premier league of world tennis, but it’s all about showing it when it counts. And in Zverev’s case, when you’re lying behind and desperately fighting for your tournament title.

Zverev also proved himself in the role of the unyielding marathon man against various opponents, against the cunning, resourceful Serb Dusan Lajovic, against the scratchy, poisonous Bosnian Damir Dzumhur. And on Sunday also against Khachanov, in some copy a copy of Zverev himself. But the Muscovite is one who often loses his head in big matches, like the somewhat younger Zverev. The Russian was leading 1-0 and 2-1 after sets, he should have forced the physically less fit Zverev to the ground. But Zverev is currently irritating his opponents with this unbelievable coolness, he doesn’t show any problems and doubts when he’s in trouble. Instead, he intensifies his efforts, plays more concentrated and better again. It’s the tennis you need to get into the striking range of Grand Slam titles. “What a moment this is in Sascha’s career,” said Becker, also the DTB’s head of the men’s department, “it’s a breakthrough, a milestone.”

In the fifth set there was a significant scene when Zverev managed the opening break to 1-0 after just three hours of play. When changing sides after the first game, players traditionally take a few moments off, although it is not allowed. But Zverev marched with big steps directly to the other baseline, he didn’t need water, he didn’t need a break. All he wanted was victory, as fast as possible. And he didn’t let him take it away, he was never in danger and never in trouble again. And yet, this was the verdict of the winner: “What is happening here is already madness”.