French Open: Alexander Zverev against Novak Djokovic - The way to victory leads through the cold chamber
The toughest opponent this year: Alexander Zverev would have to get Novak Djokovic out of the world rankings to move into the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
by SID
last edit: Jun 06, 2019, 12:06 pm
The cold chamber is the latest craze on Roland Garros' layout. Alexander Zverev also uses the cold sauna. "It's such a room, you go in there, have nothing on but gloves, socks and protection for your ears and nose," he reports, "then you are in there for three minutes and freeze yourself off." Three minutes of shivering at minus 180 degrees? "Three minutes," confirms Zverev, "and then finished, and then we had to take a warm shower."
The endurance test in the cold chamber is used for regeneration. So far, Zverev has had a hard time at the French Open in Paris after two matches over five sets and one match over four. In the quarter-finals, he now faces the most difficult task this year and at the same time the most difficult in a Grand Slam: he meets number one in the world rankings, Novak Djokovic. "You have to play your best tennis to have a chance against him," says Zverev.
"Best as in the final of London"
Above all, you should be fit against the Serb who plowed into the quarter-finals without losing a set. Last year, Zverev was no longer at Roland Garros when he finally reached one of the four Grand Slams in his first quarter-final. He had to go over five sets three times in a row, and against the Austrian Dominic Thiem "I got an injury after half a set". Strictly speaking, a 4.5 centimeter tear in the left thigh muscle.
"Last year was not a good ending for me," recalls Zverev, 4: 6, 2: 6, 1: 6, the handicapped Hamburger went under. This time he hopes at least for "a nice game" against the world number one. Can he hope for more? He defeated Djokovic last year in Rome's final, on ashes, and in mid-November in the final of the ATP final . "Best as in the final of London," said the ATP champion, he had to play on Wednesday, among other things "as aggressively as possible".
So far, Zverev has not given the impression in Paris that he could be dangerous to Djokovic (32). He plays too inconsistently, but his great fighting spirit is remarkable. Only in the round of 16 against the Italian Fabio Fognini did he convince playfully. Twelfth in the world rankings was the highest placed player Zverev ever defeated in a Grand Slam, also the highest placed this year. Djokovic is a completely different house number, Djokovic, Zverev knows, "has won the last three Grand Slams".
And Djokovic also goes into the cold room.