Zverev comes back from double-break down in fifth set to beat Griekspoor in Roland-Garros third round
Alexander Zverev outlasted Tallon Griekspoor in five sets to reach the Roland-Garros last 16 on Saturday. Zverev awaits either Holger Rune or Jozef Kovalik.
Alexander Zverev, Roland-Garros 2024 – © Chryslène Caillaud / Panoramic
Nobody had a more eventful first week at Roland-Garros than Alexander Zverev.
Zverev, who drew Rafael Nadal in the opening round and beat the 14-time champion in straight sets, found himself on the brink of defeat against Tallon Griekspoor during third-round action on Saturday evening. Griekspoor led by a double-break in the fifth set at 4-1, but the Dutchman could not seal the deal and Zverev came back to triumph 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3).
The German needed four hours and 14 minutes to advance. He will next battle Holger Rune or Jozef Kovalik for a place in the quarter-finals.
Griekspoor clearly got tight when he saw the finish line leading by two breaks in the fifth. The world No 25 struggled both mentally and physically, never really getting close to holding serve at either 4-1 or 4-3. He did well to produce holds at 4-5 and 5-6, but he was never competitive in the tiebreak.
Of course down 4-1 there’s a lot more chance you’re going to lose the match than you’re going to win.
Alexander Zverev
“Honestly, obviously it was not my best match,” Zverev said in an on-court interview. “I managed somehow down 4-1 in the final set. He started maybe to think a little bit, but I started to play much better and obviously (I’m) happy with the win…. Of course down 4-1 there’s a lot more chance you’re going to lose the match than you’re going to win.”
The world No 4 previously defeated Nadal (6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3) and Belgian David Goffin (7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-2).
Griekspoor earned his spot in the last 32 with victories over American Mackenzie McDonald (6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2) and Italian Luciano Darderi (7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-3).
Paris (Grand Slam), other third-round results:
- Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Casper Ruud
- Novak Djokovic vs. Lorenzo Musetti
- Zizou Bergs vs. Grigor Dimitrov
- Taylor Fritz vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
- Jozef Kovalik vs. Holger Rune: saturday
- Francisco Cerundolo vs. Tommy Paul: saturday
- Hubert Hurkacz (8) beat Denis Shapovalov: 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1
- Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Tomas Machac: 7-6 (4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (21) beat Ben Shelton (15): 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
- Alex De Minaur (11) beat Jan-Lennard Struff: 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
- Corentin Moutet beat Sebastian Ofner: 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1
- Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Sebastian Korda (27): 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (9) beat Zhizhen Zhang: 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
- Jannik Sinner (2) beat Pavel Kotov: 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
- Matteo Arnaldi beat Andrey Rublev (6): 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4
