Impressive Alexander Zverev downs Marcos Giron, earns career-high win

World no. 3 Alexander Zverev sailed into the ATP 500 Vienna quarter-final. The German defeated the American Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 12 minutes, achieving 61 ATP wins for the first time in a single season. Zverev had 60 victories in 2018 and passed that number six years later, playing consistent tennis this season and avoiding injuries.  

Numbers behind Zverev’s triumph

Alexander claimed 25 points more than his rival, controlling the scoreboard and moving through with a late break in set number two. World no. 3 served at 82% and produced a clinic in his games, dropping four points and keeping his opponent miles behind any chance on the return. Marcos struggled behind the second serve, facing three break points and failing to defend any. Giron fought well in the second set before missing two game points at 5-6 in the second set, allowing his rival to seal the deal with a late break. Zverev fired 32 winners and ten unforced errors, leaving his opponent on a solid 13-9 ratio. World no. 3 fired 25 service winners and had the upper hand from the baseline and at the net, taming his strokes nicely in one of his finest performances of the season. The German had the upper hand in the shortest and more advanced rallies, arranging the clash against the 6th seed, Lorenzo Musetti.

Alexander makes a flying start

Zverev found his strokes early on and sailed through his service games. World no. 3 held at love in the first game with a service winner and forced the rival’s mistake two games later for a 2-1 lead. Giron remained in touch early on before losing ground in the second part of the set. Alexander cracked a backhand down the line winner in the sixth game, generating three break chances and landing another backhand winner for a break at love and a 4-2 advantage. The German cemented the break with a hold at love in game seven and painted a forehand winner in the next one, delivering another break and wrapping up the opener 6-2 in 24 minutes.

Zverev’s seals the deal with a late break

World no. 3 barely lost a point in his games in the second set, keeping the pressure on the other side. Marcos closed the second game after deuces and locked the result at 2-2 after Alexander’s forehand error in game four. The American drew the German’s mistake in the sixth game, staying in touch and already doing better than in the first set. Zverev held at love in game seven with a service winner, and Giron mirrored that in the next one for 4-4 and more drama. Alexander clinched the ninth game with a backhand crosscourt winner at the net, forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match. Marcos stayed focused and closed the tenth game with a crafty drop shot, causing an error from world no. 3 and extending the duel. Zverev fired a forehand down the line winner in the 11th game and clinched it at 15 with a service winner, keeping the pressure on the other side. Giron had a chance to introduce a tie break, earning two game points in the 12th game. He wasted the first after a forced error, and Alexander landed a forehand winner on the second. The German attacked and drew the rival’s lob error for a match point, converting it after the American’s error and sailing into the quarter-final. Zverev is seeking his second title of the season after lifting a Masters 1000 trophy in Rome in May.

Zverev vs. Musetti

Alexander will seek a place in the semi-final against Lorenzo Musetti, trying to avenge the Olympic Games loss. Zverev won their first clash when the young Italian retired two years ago in Madrid. They battled again at this year’s Paris Olympics, with Musetti prevailing 7-5, 7-5 to enter the medal battle. Lorenzo took 13 points more than Alexander and sealed the deal in over two hours with a late break in each set. The younger player performed better behind the first and second serve, fending off four of five break points and keeping the pressure on the other side.

The defending Olympic Games champion could not follow that pace despite a decent effort, offering his rival four break points and suffering three breaks to end his campaign in the quarter-final. Lorenzo made a reliable start, delivering a break in the first game of the encounter and serving well for a 5-3 advantage. Alexander made one last push on the return in the tenth game, breaking back and extending the set. However, he lost serve again in the 11th game and missed break chances at 5-6, allowing Musetti to wrap up the opener. They served well in the opening ten games of the second set, remaining neck and neck. The Italian took charge from 4-5, rattling off 13 of the final 17 points and moving into the semi-final.