Wimbledon 2021: Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev - tricky tasks on "Manic Monday"
Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon with convincing performances. On "Manic Monday", however, extremely tricky tasks await them.
by SID
last edit: Jul 05, 2021, 11:03 am
In the calm before "crazy Monday", Angelique Kerber had to say goodbye to habits he had grown fond of. Instead of strolling through the picturesque town center with its small shops and cafes on Sunday when there is no game, as is otherwise the case, the strict Corona requirements for the tennis classic left no room for variety this time: a training session on the facility, then back to the hotel with a view on the London Eye - and full concentration on the round of 16.
"Over the years I have learned not to look left and right," said Kerber before the generation duel with US “child prodigy” Cori Gauff (17) on Monday (2nd match after 2.30 p.m. / Sky). Discussions about her status as a co-favorite, even a possible repetition of her triumph of 2018 - the 33-year-old from Kiel wants to ignore all of this. "I concentrate on myself, that was the goal from the start," she said. "I'm really trying to stay on my path."
From a German point of view, the first week of the tournament in London makes you dream. Alexander Zverev soars to new heights and wants to move into the quarter-finals against the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime for the first time in the last edition of the famous "Manic Monday", when all 16 round of 16 games are on the program on Church Road on the same day. And Kerber's appearances are already reminiscent of her coup three years ago, and after many top players have been eliminated, the field is also open.
Kerber on Gauff: "I see the fire in her"
After her brilliant second round match against the Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo - perhaps the best game since her Wimbledon victory - the German number one made an impressive comeback. Nothing came together against Aliakandra Sasnovich on Saturday - but after a rain break, Kerber played like a substitute and embodied pure dominance. The visibly impressed Belarusian no longer had the slightest chance at 2: 6, 6: 0, 6: 1.
But the only remaining Wimbledon winner in the field also knows that Gauff, for many the upcoming star of the scene, is a completely different caliber. The 17-year-old is also in great shape. "I see the fire in her," said Kerber of the American, who is five places ahead of her in the world rankings: "It's really dangerous, especially on grass."
Zverev against "FAA" in top form
Zverev's task is no less tricky. The 24-year-old has a flawless record of three wins without losing a set from three matches against Auger-Aliassime, who is four years younger - but the two meet for the first time on grass. "It's his best rubber," warned French Open semi-finalist Zverev: "And he's in top form right now."
After the hard-fought but sovereign 6: 7 (3: 7), 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 4) in the third round against the American Taylor Fritz, Zverev watched however, there is still room for improvement. "It wasn't my best match in this tournament. But I found a way to win," said the man from Hamburg, emphasizing: "You can't show your best tennis for two weeks in a Grand Slam."
It's enough if Zverev has saved that for the second week of the tournament.