US Open: Round of 16! This time Alexander Zverev continued in four sentences
Alexander Zverev struggled to make it into the round of 16 of the 2019 US Open. The German placed sixth defeated the Slovenian Aljaz Bedene in four sets.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Sep 01, 2019, 12:21 am
By Jens Huiber from New York City
Alexander Zverev's "Mission 35" almost failed with a crash. The master plan to win the US Open 2019 with seven successive five-set wins must be resubmitted after 6: 7 (4), 7: 6 (4), 6: 3 and 7: 6 against Aljaz Bedene be postponed, at least until the Australian Open next January. The German number one can of course still win the title in New York City, it will meet either Diego Schwartzman or Tennys Sandgren in the round of 16.
As in lap one against Radu Albot, Zverev had a clean start against the Slovenian, quickly leading 5-2. Bedene struggled back winning round one in the tie-break. Zverev's fourth consecutive set loss at Louis Armstrong Stadium, in 2018 he was inferior to Philipp Kohlschreiber. After the match, Zverev paid tribute to his opponent: Especially in that phase Aljaz Bedene had played incredibly good tennis.
# BETATHOMEUSWIN #
Short toilet breaks for Zverev and Bedene
Run two had the potential to deepen the pit that Zverev had dug, but this time the favorite in the tie-break was a tad stronger. An early break in the third act took away the basic tension, Bedene did not develop any chances to come back again.
After that, all eyes were on the scoreboard, and especially on the music box: Zverev and Bedene left the court together for a separate toilet break, but accumulated by far failed to beat Frances Tiafoe's sensational twelve minutes. That's how long the American had taken a break in Zverev's last match.
In the fourth set Bedene missed a break chance to 1: 3, Zverev was more efficient in the next game, pounding a backhand longline into the field. With the effect that Bedene first let the physio come, who worked on the outsider's foot for three minutes. Amazingly, the native of Hamburg gave up his serve afterwards. And could not use several chances to break in the seventh game. A tie-break offered itself, the two opponents accepted gratefully.
Longest match for Zverev so far
At 4-2 in favor of the favorites, the sides were changed, now Zverev's serve worked again satisfactorily. The second match ball was in place, Bedene slipped a defensive ball into the net.
Alexander Zverev had saved himself one set with the success against Bedene, but the third round game was the most exhausting so far in terms of season: The German and the Slovenian played 3:35 hours on Saturday. Alexander Zverev needed 3:09 and 3:10 hours in the first two rounds. The pleasant side aspect: Zverev's relationship with the audience in New York is getting closer and closer, he himself hopes that he will still play many matches here, said the round of sixteen 2019 in an interview on the court.