‘He Was Killing Me’- Alexander Zverev’s Tactful Change in Wild French Open Escape Makes Him a Clear Crown Favorite

The tension at Roland Garros reached a crescendo on Saturday. Fans found themselves left on the edge of their seats during the clash between Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor. For Zverev, the French Open title is hanging by a thread as Griekspoor pushed the German to the brink of defeat. In a nail-biting encounter, Zverev narrowly escaped with a victory, but not without acknowledging the fierce challenge posed by the Dutch player.

Zverev, who had sailed through previous rounds with straight-set victories over Rafael Nadal and David Goffin, faced immense challenge from Griekspoor. The match began with the Dutch player seizing the first set, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events. Despite Zverev’s comeback in the second and third sets, Griekspoor’s relentless play left him running for points. Griekspoor’s serve and volley tactics kept Zverev on his toes, causing him considerable trouble, especially in the 4th and the 5th set.

Acknowledging the difficulty he faced, the World No. 4 reflected on the pivotal moments in the post-match interview. He described how he adjusted his return position to counter Griekspoor’s aggressive play, a move that turned favorable. On being questioned about what his mindset was and what he changed, Zverev said, “The first thing I did, I changed my return position. From very far back I stepped in closer to the line.” As the match hung at 4-1 in Griekspoor’s favor in the fifth set, Zverev admitted the daunting challenge. “He was killing me with the Serve and volley for a set and half of, you know, fourth set and the fifth set.”

He was poised to make a comeback, “My first mindset was, okay, right, I am down 4-1, but how do I give myself the best chance to comeback and the number one thing I had to take away was his Serve and Voley game which was working out very well today for him.” 

Zverev added that this change impacted Tallon as well, causing the Dutch player to falter under pressure. “He started to think when the game was 4-3,” Zverev claimed. The German star further claimed that this led Tallon to do double faults and miss a couple of backhands that could have been avoided. This sensational comeback has undoubtedly boosted Zverev’s confidence and positioned him as a strong contender for the tournament title.

The duo have faced each other 5 times so far. Despite a 4-1 lead in the head-to-head matches, Zverev has admitted that he doesn’t like playing against the Dutch star.

“I don’t like to play against him”: Zverev’s take on Tallon

After the intense battle on the court, Zverev showered praise on his resilient opponent, Tallon Griekspoor. Despite emerging victorious, Zverev’s admiration for Griekspoor’s skill and tenacity was evident. Describing him as an “incredible player,” Zverev admitted to struggling against him. “I don’t like to play against him but all the credit to him, taking it all the way,” Zverev acknowledged.

He continued to commend Griekspoor’s fighting spirit, calling him a “fighter” who never backed down. “Incredible player and fighter until the end,” Zverev emphasized. Reflecting on the match, he expressed his admiration for the electric atmosphere. “The atmosphere today was unbelievable. I loved every second of it,” Zverev remarked, highlighting the intensity of the moment.

The German recognized the fine margins that decided the outcome of the match, acknowledging that it could have swung either ways. “It was about a couple of points here and there,” he said, pointing to the closeness of the contest. 

It will be worth seeing if Griekspoor will be able to avenge his defeat against the World No.4 in their next encounter. Meanwhile, it will be intriguing to see if Zverev can clinch his first Grand slam!