Zverev suddenly pissed off at the Australian Open - in the end he still cheers

Created: 01/22/2022, 04:45 am

By: Alexander Kaindl

Alexander Zverev is in the round of 16.

© AAP / Imago

Alexander Zverev defeats Radu Albot in the third round of the Australian Open.

The German tennis ace is thus in the round of 16 - but was extremely self-critical.

Zverev suddenly pissed off at the Australian Open - in the end he still cheers

Update from January 21, 9:57 a.m

.: Zverev says after his victory on the Eurosport microphone: "It was okay. It wasn't my best match, you could see that. But I'm through, that gives confidence.” His goal? Sure, the Grand Slam! The German also says this quite openly: "I've gotten older. It's time to play for titles in big tournaments. I'm happy that I'm in the second week." Regarding the upcoming round of 16 against Shapovalov, Zverev says: "Whoever plays the better tennis will have the advantage. I'll train today and tomorrow and then we'll see.” The next round will be played from Sunday 23 January.

"A good horse only jumps as high as it has to," says tennis legend Boris Becker in his first analysis.

Probably true.

It wasn't a great game by Zverev, but in the end he still won 3-0 in sets against Radu Albot in around two hours.

Germany's number one made a number of mistakes, but was simply there in the crucial moments.

Zverev - Albot: 6: 4:

Serving for match!

Now it can happen very quickly for Zverev.

The first two serves are fantastic, 30:0.

That should have been it!

Or not?

Albot saves two match points!

And of course things are brewing in Zverev.

Third match point... and it fits!

Zverev wins and is in the round of 16 of the Australian Open.

Zverev - Albot 5: 4:

And then he's just there!

Zverev gets a breakball and then coolly waits for Albot's mistake.

After being 0:30 behind, Zverev gets the break here and is now serving for the round of 16!

Come on, Sasha!

Zverev - Albot 4: 4:

Unfortunately, Zverev is no longer playing the game as easily as in the first set.

Albot defends himself as best he can, Zverev makes mistakes, gets angry and slowly slides into a negative trend.

It's still enough for your own service game, 4:4.

Zverev - Albot 3: 4

: Zverev has two breakballs, misses the first one - and curses in Russian again.

Albot parries the second after a strong serve.

And then he uses the momentum, 4: 3 for the underdog!

Zverev - Albot 3: 3:

Zverev's strong service game, it's 3: 3.

Can he break Albot now?

Zverev - Albot 2: 3:

Albot takes the lead again.

It is now in the hot phase.

If Zverev wants a quick decision, he has to deliver.

Zverev - Albot 2: 2:

Zverev is very self-critical today and is annoyed by every mistake.

Can he turn that anger back into points now?

Albot is now also showing emotions because he realizes: there's something in here!

Zverev keeps ironing out his mistakes with aces and makes it 2-2.

Zverev against Albot NOW live: German tennis ace suddenly pissed off

Zverev - Albot 1: 2:

Zverev is brutally annoyed!

He misses great chances on Albot's serve, yells, curses and throws the bat!

Albot gets the game after all.

Zverev - Albot 1: 1:

Awesome, Sascha!

In his first service game of the third set, he makes you sit up and take notice with two aces.

Those were number eleven and twelve, Albot is at five.

1:1

Can things go very quickly now and do we have a lightning decision in the third set?

At least that's how it was in the second round, when Zverev ultimately made short work of John Millman.

Zverev - Albot 0: 1:

Strange scenes here on the court: Zverev has been on the pitch for minutes, waiting for his opponent.

Where is Albot?

Here comes the 32-year-old, apparently completely changed.

It goes on.

And Albot pulls through his service game.

Zverev - Albot 6: 4

: Albot defends himself against the 0: 2 in sets!

But it's Zverev's timing again: he varies his serves - either solid through the middle or with an eye and angle to the outside.

Extremely difficult to read, extremely difficult to return.

And then Sascha is there!

2-0 after sets, the round of 16 is getting closer.

Zverev - Albot: 5: 4:

Perfect service game by Albot, Zverev lets him do it here.

It's clear what he's concentrating on now: his service game to win the set.

Zverev - Albot 5: 3:

Zverev makes too many mistakes and suddenly Albot has three breakballs here!

But Sascha fends off all three, strong reaction.

With an ace, he still secures this game!

When it matters, Zverev is there.

In the meantime, the possible round of 16 opponent of the German has also been determined.

Canadian Denis Shapovalov prevailed in four sets against American Reilly Opelka.

But Zverev still has something to do here.

Zverev - Albot 4: 3:

Zverev keeps shaking his head when he makes too many mistakes.

In fact, it lacks consistency.

So far he has always been there in the important moments, he is still one break ahead.

Zverev - Albot 4: 2:

This timing is so strong!

Whenever Albot sniffs a break here, Zverev slams a monster serve into his field.

After being 15:30 behind, the German served three times first class and won the game.

4:2!

Zverev - Albot 3: 2:

Strong!

Zverev gets the break, makes his eighth point in a row here!

Important time, after all, Albot got better and better in the first games of the second set.

Zverev - Albot 2: 2:

That went quickly.

Zverev pulls through his service game in a good minute, very dominant.

2:2

Zverev - Albot 1: 2

: Albot is now fully there, knocking out his fourth ace.

The first serve sits, which is why Zverev is now having more problems than he would like.

Zverev - Albot 1: 1:

Zverev double fault, 0:30 behind.

Then comes an ace. "He knows what's wrong and then corrects it," says Eurosport expert Barbara Rittner in the live analysis.

"But that's always easier said than done." Right.

Because Albot gets his first two breakballs.

The German fends off both and finally gets the game.

1:1

Zverev - Albot 0: 1:

Zverev keeps making minor blunders at the beginning of the second set.

Albot is now much more self-confident and is much better in the match.

The underdog takes the lead.

Zverev against Albot NOW in the live ticker: early exclamation mark at the Australian Open

Zverev - Albot 6: 3:

Albot completely hits a ball here, which allows Zverev to equalize at 15:15.

A small sticking point in this game?

Yes!

Zverev then pulls away and thus secures the first set!

Confident performance so far from Germany's number one.

If he continues like this, the round of 16 will be booked quickly.

Zverev - Albot 5: 3:

Second sovereign service game in a row by Albot.

But no need to worry for Zverev, after all he is now serving to win the set.

Zverev - Albot 5: 2:

Zverev counters, the good first serve is always the key.

5:2

Zverev - Albot 4: 2:

Albot is slowly coming in here!

In the meantime he is making his first serves and is getting security on his racket.

And so Zverev doesn't take a trick in his opponent's service game, 4: 2.

Zverev - Albot 4: 1:

First really long rally in this match.

And there you can see: Albot can do something!

Zverev has to go a long way and finally hits the ball in the net.

The answer?

Sure, an ace!

His second today.

A good first serve from the German follows, Albot doesn't bring the ball back - 4:1.

Zverev - Albot 3: 1:

Zverev always has nice angles in the game and gets his opponent running.

Albot currently steers only four of twelve first serves into the field, but he is now on the scoreboard.

Sascha now makes one or two mistakes.

Zverev - Albot 3: 0:

Zverev shoots Albot the first ace here.

218km/h!

Then there is a real spectacle on the net, a rally worth seeing!

The audience responds with applause.

Nice atmosphere here in the second largest arena.

And Zverev is clearly ahead.

Australian Open: Zverev against Albot NOW in the live ticker - early discussion with the referee

Zverev - Albot 2: 0:

Something seems to bother Zverev, there is a short discussion with the referee.

"Only on this side" - "Only on this side", says the German.

But what does he mean?

It doesn't matter, the third in the world rankings plays the first of two breakballs really well from the baseline.

2:0!

Zverev - Albot 1: 0:

The match is on!

Zverev serves.

And the German is active right away and delivers a good first game.

1: 0 for Zverev.

Update from January 21, 7.38 a.m .:

And now the time has finally come, the players are entering the John Cain Arena.

Zverev said before the match: "The game will be more on my racket.

I'm looking forward to it, let's see how it goes.” We're also excited.

Let's go, Sasha!

Update from January 21, 7.35 a.m .:

Alexander Zverev is currently still warming up in the catacombs.

The German is very focused because of course he knows what's at stake here today.

After all, Novak Djokovic is not in Australia this year, with Nick Kyrgios a top-class player has already left.

Alongside Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Zverev is one of the big favorites in this tournament.

Update from January 21, 7:23 a.m.: It's crazy

what's going on between Pera/Linette - Zhang/Stosur.

The last games in the third set lasted almost half an hour, in the end Pera and Linette won 6:7, 6:1 and 7:5.

That means: The way for Alexander Zverev and Radu Albot is finally clear.

It's starting soon!

Australian Open: Alexander Zverev against Radu Albot today in the live ticker

Update from January 21, 7:11 a.m .:

5: 5 in the third set between Pera/Linette – Zhang/Stosur.

The ladies don't give each other anything.

That means: keep waiting for Zverev.

Update from January 21, 6.48 a.m .:

The waiting time continues.

Alexander Zverev and Radu Albot are on after the women's doubles Pera/Linette - Zhang/Stosur.

There it is 1:1 in the sentences and 2:3 in the third.

So it won't be long now.

At the same time, Carlos Alcaraz and Matteo Berretini are delivering a high-class duel.

The Italian leads 6: 2, 7: 6 and 1: 0.

Update from January 21, 6:28 a.m.:

4:28 p.m. is the local time in Melbourne, the thermometer shows 30 degrees Celsius.

If Alexander Zverev and Radu Albot start here right away, it will definitely be a hot dance.

But we still need a little patience.

Update from January 21, 6:12 a.m .:

We are still waiting for Alexander Zverev and Radu Albot.

Those responsible for the Australian Open are currently expecting the match to start around 6.35 a.m.

Meanwhile we can provide you with news about Novak Djokovic.

The Serb has attracted attention in recent weeks because of his entry into Australia - ultimately the unvaccinated tennis star had to leave the country.

Now there are new details.

Update from January 21, 5:59 a.m .:

Alexander Zverev’s third round match at the Australian Open is scheduled for Friday, 6 a.m.

But it will probably take a while before the German and his opponent Radu Albot will open here.

Australian Open: Alexander Zverev against Radu Albot today in the live ticker

Update from January 21, 5:56 a.m .:

Good news from a German perspective: The doubles Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies have reached the round of 16 of the Australian Open for the first time.

The two-time French Open winners of the doubles competition won their second round game in Melbourne on Friday 6: 4, 6: 7 (7: 9), 6: 4 against the Americans Austin Krajicek / Sam Querrey.

The two could not use a match point in the tie-break of the second set.

In the round of the top 16, the duo will face fifth seeded John Peers from Australia and Filip Polasek from Slovakia. Krawietz and Mies are number twelve on the seed list. In 2019 and 2020, Krawietz from Coburg and Mies from Cologne celebrated the title at the French Open in Paris together. The two were unable to compete together last season due to Mies' knee surgery. At the Australian Open, Krawietz/Mies only played together in 2020, but lost in the first round.

Update from January 21, 5.49 a.m .: Will

Alexander Zverev make it into the round of 16 of the Australian Open today?

The fact is: the native of Hamburg is once again the last remaining German in the field of participants.

All other single players already had to say goodbye.

As number three in the world rankings, the 24-year-old is of course the big favorite against the qualifier Radu Albot.

The Moldovan was once the 39th in the world, but the 32-year-old is now only listed in 124th place.

Zverev against Albot NOW in the live ticker: tennis thriller at the Australian Open

First report from January 21, 5.40 a.m .:

Melbourne – It’s getting serious for Alexander Zverev!

The German number one competes in the third round of the Australian Open this Friday.

His opponent is Radu Albot from Moldova.

Will it be a tennis * thriller in Melbourne or will Sascha stay as cool as in the third sentence of the second round?

There he had finally pulled the tooth out of his Australian opponent John Millman and dumped him 6-0.

We are excited and follow the game today in the live ticker.

The game is scheduled for 6 a.m., but traditionally it should start a little later.

If you would like to follow the game live on TV or stream, we have put together all the information for you here.