French Open: Alexander Zverev and his next opponent - they have known each other since their youth
Alexander Zverev is challenged against a good friend in the second round of the French Open. With the Russian Roman Safiullin he already fought duels in his youth.
by SID
last edit:
Jun 01, 2021, 12:04 pm
Alexander Zverev looked much narrower, not as muscular. But in 2013, when he was 16, he was already wearing a headband in his hair - a turquoise one - when he met Roman Safiullin at the French Open. Eight years later, the Russian faces him again in the same place. This time in the men's competition.
"I've known him since we were twelve years old," said Zverev: "I haven't seen him in the last couple of years because he's only now on the way up. But he's a very talented player." As a junior he won the first round duel 6: 1, 6: 0 and finally marched to the finals. The sixth in the world is hoping for a similar run for this year's edition. His draw looks promising. And Zverev is full of self-confidence.
Zverev with a slow start against Otte
The somewhat stuttering start in Paris with a five-set win against Oscar Otte from Cologne did not change that. The hamburger feels comfortable on sand. "You look like a fighter, I like that," said Zverev in an interview with Die Welt: "You have to make the point tactically. You have to think what is uncomfortable for the opponent." He finally succeeded in the tricky first match against the already well-rehearsed qualifier.
The game plan then gave the German number one two days of recovery time, which he used for a short trip to the Eiffel Tower and to fool his brother and manager Mischa for his TV appearances. On Tuesday, it was time for Zverev to start up again in training to find the focus.
Thiem already retired
After all, this year it should go further than the quarter-finals in Paris, which the 24-year-old reached in 2018 and 2019. He can only meet the biggest title contenders Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic , who were challenged in their first-round matches on Tuesday, in the final. "Rafael Nadal will remain the favorite, huge," said Zverev, who after the surprising end of the two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem, his half of the tournament is wide open: "There are a few people who have chances next to Nadal." He himself is one of them after winning the Masters in Madrid.
But there are still many steps to be taken. The next one is against the old friend Safiullin, number 182 in the world. With more muscles and a black headband, Zverev is aiming for victory. As in 2013.
Here the single tableau in Paris
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