By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 17, 2019
Channeling chaos into closure, Zverev beat back nerves and agallant Jeremy Chardy, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (6), 6-1, booking his Australian Open third round spot for the second year in a row.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
A two-set lead dissipated like drops of sweat evaporating on the court forcing a twitchy Alexander Zverev to face another major identity crisis.
This time, the fourth seed answered with conviction.
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Channeling chaos into closure, Zverev beat back nerves and agallant Jeremy Chardy, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (6), 6-1, booking his Australian Open third round spot for the second year in a row.
"I think if you go five sets, it's always energy consuming, especially today, being two sets to love up, then two sets all. A lot of nerves involved, as well," Zverev said. "I thought the match was very high quality, high level. Jeremy started playing really, really well in the second and third set—third and fourth, sorry.
"I knew if I stayed strong, if I keep doing what I'm doing, I'll get my chances. I actually had my chances in all sets. Didn't manage to break. Matches can turn around quickly. I'm just happy to kind of be in the third round."
On a day in which Roland Garros finalist Dominic Thiem retired while trailing 149th-ranked Australian teenager Alexei Popyrin, 7-5, 6-4, 2-0 and 2018 Australian Open semifinalist Hyeon Chung fell in four sets to Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Zverev stared down his own Grand Slam ghosts.
Widely regarded as one of the fittest men on Tour, Thiem dropped to 6-7 in five-setters.
"I felt very bad during the game, obviously," said Thiem, who was drained by his five-set fight over Benoit Paire in the first round. "Yesterday after the long match I felt really fine, actually. (But) started to feel like my whole body hurt, general not feeling well at all, and in the match it got worse. Whole body was hurting, I was feeling weak, and there was no sense to continue."
ATP Finals champion Zverev had to dig down deep to extend his run.
Zverev hammered 79 winners, including 29 aces, and needed it all to offset 13 double faults, mid-match jitters, a stiff forehand that was falling short in the court and a charging Chardy.
A 2013 Melbourne quarterfinalist, Chardy began to take charge cranking crosscourt forehands that backed Zverev behind the baseline. Chardy struck bold forehands to save a match point at 5-6 in the fourth-set tiebreak.
A stinging serve brought the Frenchman a set point of his own and when Zverev wacked a backhand beyond the baseline, Chardy pushed it to a fifth set.
It was the first time Zverev let a two-set lead slip and recovered to win.
A calm Zverev tore through five consecutive games to open the decider as a weary Chardy, whose body took a beating in his 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6) opening-round win over Ugo Humbert, could not keep pace.
"I mean, it was good," Zverev said. "I was never two sets to love up and then two sets all. That was my first time today. It was definitely helpful that I won this match. I'm still in the tournament, first of all, but also for myself it's very helpful, as well."
The victory vaults Zverev into a third-round clash with the Aussie thunder Bolt.
Wild card Alex Bolt continued his inspired ride through the field.
The 159th-ranked Bolt, who beat Jack Sock for his first Grand Slam main-draw win on Tuesday, backed it up stunning No. 29-seeded Gilles Simon, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4.
Sporting bleach-blonde hair the 26-year-old Bolt is proving there can be life after apparent competitive death. Bolt briefly quit the sport and spent time in construction building fences.
Now, he's breaking down career barriers and appreciate his second shot at tennis.
"Obviously going back and working as a fencer, you get a little bit of perspective," Bolt said. "I guess tennis is a pretty cool lifestyle if you're able to do it. Yeah, at the time I wasn't enjoying it. I feel like I've chosen the right path to come back and play tennis."
Zverev knows the crowd will be on Bolt's side and expects the unexpected.
"Look, I don't know his game too well," Zverev said of Bolt. "I've seen him play today. He has a big serve, big forehand. I mean, he's obviously playing maybe the best tennis of his life, beating Gilles Simon in a Grand Slam, his own Grand Slam, obviously very good.
"We'll see tomorrow what to expect. We'll look at some videos from him. Right now I'm not thinking about it too much."