Alexander Zverev is through to his fifth Roland Garros quarter-final in the previous six years. The German has lost one set in the opening four matches in Paris, not playing at his best but doing enough to remain on the title course. Alexander met Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round and earned a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory in two hours and 17 minutes. Grigor reached his second Roland Garros fourth round but could not challenge Alexander on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Zverev played better behind the first serve and struggled on the second. There were 31 break chances, similarly distributed, and the German played better in the decisive moments. Alexander saved 14 out of 16 break points and turned 54% of the return points into seven breaks from 15 opportunities. Zverev tamed his strokes nicely with 24 winners and 27 unforced errors. Dimitrov stood on a 14-50 ratio, spraying too many mistakes and failing to win at least a set.
Alexander Zverev defeated Grigor Dimitrov on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The German had the upper hand in the shortest and mid-range rallies, doing enough to move into his ninth Major quarter-final and the first in a year. Dimitrov placed a slice long in the encounter’s first game to experience a break. Zverev fired a forehand down the line winner in the third game to secure another return game and forge a 3-0 advantage. The 22nd seed held in game four after the rival’s backhand error and grabbed the sixth game with a service winner for 5-1. Alexander secured his third return game in game seven, landing a drop shot winner and wrapping up the opener in half an hour. The second set saw 15 break chances, with Zverev dropping his level in comparison to the opener and Dimitrov still struggling behind the initial shot. Grigor drew Alexander’s volley error in the fifth game to open a 3-2 gap and saved two break points in the next one for 4-2. Standing on the verge of losing the set, Zverev faced four break points in the seventh game, playing his worst tennis of the night.
The German denied them, held and gained a massive boost. Alexander broke back at love in game eight with a lob winner and held at love a few minutes later after Grigor’s loose backhand for 5-4. Dimitrov served to stay in the set in game ten and faced five set points. He saved four before Zverev clinched the fifth to open a 6-1, 6-4 gap in an hour and 29 minutes. After seven break points offered to his rival in the second set, Zverev faced nine in the third! He defended eight and kept the pressure on the other side. Grigor squandered seven in games one and three and sprayed a forehand error in game two to lose serve at love. The Bulgarian finally broke back after the German’s double fault in game five and held in the next one for 3-3. Alexander raised his level and grabbed 12 of the final 16 points to emerge at the top. He broke at 4-3 after Grigor’s double fault and served for the win in the next one. Zverev held at 15 in game nine with a service winner to emerge at the top and advance into the quarter-final.