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October

Fils: Three Reasons Zverev is Ferocious Server

<![CDATA[After falling in three sets to Alexander Zverev, Arthur Fils sums up why the former gold-medal champion remains such a dominant server.]]>

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, October 31, 2024
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Alexander Zverev played demolition man in Paris today.Zverev smashed 16 aces fending off talented Frenchman Arthur Fils 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to his 31st ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.More: Off-Court Coaching Confirmed, Some Players Hate It 
The 6'6" Zverev is second on the ATP in aces trailing only Hubert Hurkacz and is third on Tour in service games held in 2024 behind only world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.The 20-year-old Fils cites three reasons why Zverev's serve is so devastating: height, heaviness and havoc it creates even when you get a racquet on the ball.Fils said Zverev's height creates a different trajectory that's tough to track and his serves heaviness makes it hard to control returns."He's very tall, so it comes from very high," Fils said of Zverev. "It comes very strongly. So you try to anticipate a little bit, to understand what he's doing, but obviously indoors it's different than being on clay."If you're not on the track of the ball, you can't return it. If you're on it, it's difficult to control. So this is what makes him one of the best servers. That's the way I see him."]]>

Chris Oddo. Chris Oddo is a freelance sportswriter, podcaster, blogger and social media marker who is a lead contributor to Tennisnow.com. He also writes for USOpen.org, Rolandgarros.com, BNPParibasOpen.com, TennisTV.com, WTAtennis.com and the official US Open program.
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