By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday April 18, 2025
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev booked his spot in the semifinals in Munich. Ben Shelton also reached the final four.
Photo Source: TTV
The relief on Alexander Zverev’s face after he close out his 6-7(6), 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Tallon Griekspoor said it all.
“Finally I won a close one,” an elated Zverev said after the three hour and 14 minute encounter. “I’ve lost a few of those in the last few months.
“I always said I need to get one of these, and I did today… Proud to win this match and I’m looking forward to the next two, hopefully.”
Zverev moved into his fourth Munich semifinal and avenged a difficult loss to Griekspoor at Indian Wells – one in which he served for the win.
It was an epic battle, that saw the Dutchman serve for the match at 5-4 in the second set, before Zverev rallied to force a decider.
In the third set the German saved all four break points he faced and capitalized on his opportunity to take the lead with a break in the seventh game – it was a lead he did not relinquish.
“I needed to find a rhythm on returns,” he said. “I was returning terribly in the first set, but me and Tallon, we always have weird matches. At Indian Wells I was serving for the match and I lost it. Here he was serving for the match and I won it, so you never know with us, but it’s always entertaining.”
An important win for the German, who will face either Zizou Bergs or Fabian Marozsan in the semis.
“It’s extremely important going into the next matches and also the next weeks, knowing that I still have that [ability to come back],” he said. “Tennis can change quite quickly and I hope that was the moment for me.”
In the lower half of the draw, second-seeded Ben Shelton delivered a 6-4, 6-3 win over Italy’s Luciano Darderi to set a clash with Francisco Cerundolo, the No.5 seed. Cerundolo got past David Goffin, 6-2, 6-4.