After a mature performance, Alexander Zverev waved beaming into his box and then underlined his great ambitions. “It is the big goal of my tennis career to win a Grand Slam and to reach the top of the world rankings”, said the German number one in a short conversation on the Court Philippe-Chatrier immediately after his fourth round of 16, in which he even saved energy would have.
The world number six won his third round duel against the unset Serbs Laslo Djere after a clear performance with 6: 2, 7: 5, 6: 2. “I knew that I had to play a lot better than before. I did that, ”he said happily. The 24-year-old from Hamburg, who reached the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019, has the Japanese Kei Nishikori as his next opponent, whom he defeated in Rome this year and on the way to winning the Masters in Madrid.
On Saturday, three more German players have the chance to make it into the round of the last 16. Dominik Koepfer (Donaueschingen) faces Grand Slam record champion Roger Federer (Switzerland / No. 8). Jan-Lennard Struff (Warstein) meets 18-year-old newcomer Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) and veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber from Augsburg challenges clay court specialist Diego Schwartzman (Argentina / No. 10), who made it to the semi-finals in 2020. “It’s a dream that is coming true,” said Koepfer about his trial of strength with Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam winner. The 27-year-old does not want to freeze in awe and bravely fight for victory.
Meanwhile, the Russian player Jana Sisikowa is causing a sensation on the fringes. She was arrested by the Paris police on Friday for alleged tampering in a doubles at the 2020 French Open. The 26-year-old is currently 101st in the double world rankings and was already eliminated in Paris. sid
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