Zverev – Fritz 6:6: Phew, what drama in the last service game of this first set. Zverev is quickly 0:40 behind and has three set points against him. Because he finds his serve again (two service winners, an ace), he is actually able to break free. When he has the advantage, he loses the longest rally of the match at 28 strokes. But he recovers from that too and saves himself in the tiebreak.
Zverev – Fritz 5:6: Nothing new in Fritz’s sixth service game. He serves two aces and wins game eleven in set one to nil.
Zverev – Fritz 5:5: The Hamburg player avoids losing the set, benefits from a completely botched forehand from the US boy and wins his serve at 15. The tension in the first set gradually increases.
Zverev – Fritz 4:5: It remains the same: Zverev cannot get a foot in the door on the American’s serve, even though Fritz makes his second double fault. Zverev is currently struggling with the string tension of his racket. He looks at his racket several times and has already signaled to his box that he would like a new racket with new strings.
Zverev – Fritz 4:4: The German withstands the pressure and secures a 4:4 draw. Given the strength of the serves shown by both opponents so far, it looks as though the set will have to be decided in a tiebreak.
Zverev – Fritz 3:4: Fritz continues to show no weakness on his own serve. He doesn’t allow a break chance in his fourth service game either and puts Zverev under pressure to follow suit.
Zverev – Fritz 3:3: Zverev probably thinks: If my opponent can do it, I can do it too and pulls ahead to 40:0. But then the net plays tricks on him twice. First, a backhand longline from the German touches the net and ends up out of bounds. Then Fritz benefits from the net when Zverev storms forward and can no longer react to the change in direction of the ball. When a forehand from Fritz lands out of reach in the corner, it’s suddenly deuce time. The rally that follows is the most spectacular of the match so far, at the end of which Zverev passes his opponent with a forehand longline before winning the important game.
Zverev – Fritz 2:3: That went quickly. The American doesn’t give Zverev a single point in this service game and regains the lead.
Zverev – Fritz 2:2: First, the Hamburg player makes his first double fault, then he faces his first break point after a failed backhand volley, but Fritz misses it with a backhand into the net. After that, Zverev doesn’t allow anything else and equalizes after two more errors from Fritz.
Zverev – Fritz 1:2: The German shows his face for the first time in the second service game. Fritz has to go past deuce twice, but ultimately holds his serve after Zverev pushes a forehand return into the net.
Zverev – Fritz 1:1: Zverev starts off with two aces in his first service game, which he wins to nil. A promising start for the German.
Zverev – Fritz 0:1: The local hero gets off to a confident start, immediately shows his serving strength and takes the lead after Zverev makes a backhand error at 30:40 from the German’s perspective.
19:56 – Here we go. The American Fritz opens with his own serve.
19:51 – The opponents have entered Arthur Ashe Stadium and are now warming up. In a few minutes the game will start in mid-summer temperatures in New York.
19:44 – There was good news for the Hamburg native even before the match. By reaching the quarterfinals in New York, Zverev is the second player after number one Jannik Sinner to secure a place at the ATP Finals at the end of the season in Turin.
19:32 – The women’s match on Centre Court ended a few minutes ago. New York native Emma Navarro defeated Paula Badosa 6:2, 7:5 and is now in the semifinals. So, dear tennis fans, you can slowly get ready for the upcoming match between Zverev and Fritz. The two will enter the court in a few moments to warm up.
19:17 – A look at the direct comparison of the two opponents shows that it is usually extremely close between the German and the American number one. They have already met nine times, the first time in 2016. Zverev has won five duels so far, Fritz four.
19:06 – The match will take place on the largest court at the US Open, the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Paula Badosa and Emma Navarro are currently battling there. After this match, it will be Zverev’s turn.
18:44 – “I expect it to be another very, very tough match, a nice battle – hopefully with a different result than in Wimbledon,” said Zverev before the duel. Around two months ago, Fritz had turned a 0-2 set deficit against the ailing Hamburg player in the round of 16 on the sacred grass of Wimbledon. But the signs have changed. “Now I’m healthy, that’s the big difference,” emphasised Zverev.
18:37 – If we look at the world rankings, Zverev is in the lead. The German is ranked fourth, his opponent twelfth.
18:30 – Welcome to the live ticker for the quarter-final duel between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz!
