By Chris Oddo | Friday, July 18, 2014
Alexander Zverev continued his fine form on Friday, becoming the youngest ATP player to reach a semifinal since 2006 with a win over Tobias Kamke.
Photo Source: Bet-at-Home Open
If 17-year-old Alexander Zverev keeps up his winning ways at the Bet-at-Home Open in Hamburg, he could become a household name by Sunday.
10 Things: Learn More about Zverev
The lanky yet mobile German notched another milestone on Friday, taking down his compatriot Tobias Kamke,0-6, 7-5, 6-3. With the victory, Zverev becomes the first 17-year-old to reach the semis at an ATP tour-level event since 2006.
According to Jeff Sackman of Tennis Abstract, there are only two active players that have reached their first ATP semifinal at a younger age:
After Kamke dropped a bagel on Zverev in the first set, the shifty youngster reversed course, finding his range to take the final two sets. He broke in the final game of the match, and raised his arms in a somewhat weary gesture, seemingly close to tears.
Zverev faced 11 break points on the afternoon, yielding to Kamke on four, but in the final set the Hamburg native was cool, calm and collected, saving the only break point he faced.
Zverev, who had never won a main draw match before reeling off four this week in Hamburg, will face a very stiff test in the semifinals, as top-seeded David Ferrer awaits.
The 32-year-old methodically deconstructed his compatriot Pablo Andujar on Friday, 6-0, 6-2, for his third victory in three attempts (without dropping a set) against Andujar.
In the lower half of the draw, Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer eased past Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, reaching his second semifinal of 2014.