Zverev Defeats De Minaur in Straight Sets to Reach Roland-Garros Semis
Young Paul, a 14-year-old ultra-fan of Alex de Minaur, witnessed a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful effort from his hero. Despite the often heroic defense, de Minaur couldn't withstand the relentless blows from Alexander Zverev. The German, who previously endured two five-set matches in earlier rounds, secured his place in the semi-finals in just under 3 hours, defeating De Minaur 6-4, 7-6, 6-4.
Although the scoreline was severe, the match was intense and competitive. De Minaur, known for his agility on clay and precise defense, engaged in a thrilling showdown after an early break. The Australian fought back to take an advantage by breaking at 3-3 in the first set but eventually lost his serve to let Zverev steal the set.
The turning point came in the second set's tie-breaker. The Philippe-Chatrier crowd roared for De Minaur, who pulled out all stops. Despite having a set point, the Australian was ultimately outmaneuvered by Zverev. The German responded to every attack and showed exceptional control, taking the tie-break and leading two sets to none.
In the third set, De Minaur’s resilience started to wane. His frustration grew as he missed opportunities, while Zverev capitalized on his errors. Finally, Zverev broke through De Minaur’s serve, clinching the match and silencing the vocal supporters. Zverev now has two days to prepare for his semi-final clash against the Norwegian Casper Ruud.
- Zverev's victory marks his fourth consecutive semi-final appearance at Roland-Garros, cementing his status as a formidable contender on clay courts. The German navigated previous challenging five-setters but appeared unfazed by fatigue, delivering a masterful performance against De Minaur.
- Alex de Minaur, who showed immense promise by eliminating Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16, will reflect on a tournament filled with both triumph and lessons. Despite the loss, his progression this year demonstrates his potential to disrupt the upper echelons of tennis in future Grand Slams.
