French Open, day 6: Zverev enters the second round effortlessly

He waited a long time and then did it in a short time: Alexander Zverev put the turbo in Paris despite the “bad weather” and even saved energy when he reached the round of 16. In the third round of the French Open, the 23-year-old from Hamburg beat Italian clay expert Marco Cecchinato 6: 1, 7: 5, 6: 3 in just 1:47 hours of play and also made it to the second tournament week in the last Major of the year. .

The Italian days continue for Zverev: after Sicilian Cecchinato, furious South Tyrolean Jannik Sinner awaits him, who, like top favorites Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem, reached the round of 16 without losing a single set.

Daniel Altmaier, qualifier from Kempen and second hope for the German Tennis Association (DTB), also wants to go there. The 22-year-old will also play on Saturday against an Italian, Matteo Berrettini of Rome.

Zverev, who has reached the French Open quarter-finals for the past two years, started with an incredibly focused approach. An interruption in the rain and a five-set match against him had stopped him, now he seemed to be in a hurry on the court from Suzanne Lenglen. Won the first set after just 23 minutes. Cecchinato couldn’t keep up with his powerful game and made a lot of mistakes.

Boris Becker, DTB men’s tennis director, liked it. “I hope he wins faster this time,” Becker told Eurosport. In the first two rounds, Zverev stood on the red ash for more than six hours, significantly longer than, say, Thiem or Nadal. “It takes a lot of strength, that’s my concern. It was to the bone,” Becker said.

Zverev cannot be disturbed after the break.

Zverev put this aside after his second round win against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. But Thiem also admitted on Friday that he was concerned he would still feel the US Open with the final close against Zverev in Paris.

Zverev still looked fresh against Cecchinato. Especially mentally. An early break in the second set against him did not throw Hamburg off balance. He waited patiently for his chance and took advantage of Cecchinato’s serve to make it 5: 5, only to win the round soon after.

In the third set, Zverev quickly broke the resistance of the world number 110, who couldn’t keep up with the world number seven that night. Cecchinato tried to throw Zverev off balance with a little wail. But the best player chose the fastest possible route until the last sixteen that night.

It was not entirely clear if Laura Siegemund could play her third round match on Saturday against Croatian Petra Martic. The 32-year-old from Metzingen had to give up in doubles.

French Open: Thiem and Nadal still not losing a set

Previously, third-placed Austrian Thiem had beaten Norwegian Casper Ruud 6: 4, 6: 3, 6: 1. In the past two years, Thiem only failed in the French Open final against 12-time winner Nadal. The Spanish beat Italian Stefano Travaglia 6: 1, 6: 4, 6: 0.

Along with world number one Novak Djokovic (Serbia), they are both among the absolute top favorites in Paris. In the second round, Thiem surprisingly meets 20-year-old Frenchman Hugo Gaston, who defeated 2015 Swiss winner Stan Wawrinka in five sets. Gaston is number 239 in the world. the worst player on the list to have reached the round of 16 in Paris. Nadal has to deal with American Sebastian Korda.

In the women’s category, the first Romanian seed Simona Halep continues. American Amanda Anisimova failed to give the 29-year-old a 6: 0, 6: 1 chance in the third round. Halep will now meet Iga Swiatek from Poland, like Anisimova at just 19 years old.

French Open: The main results of the day