Australian Open
Zverev, Paul set Australian Open QF showdown
German drops first set of tournament but he remains unbeaten in 2025
January 19, 2025
AFP/Getty Images
World No. 2 Alexander Zverev is chasing his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
By ATP Staff
Alexander Zverev claimed a jaw-dropping 26th consecutive win against left-handed players as he defeated Ugo Humbert 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals Sunday.
The World No. 2, seeking his maiden Grand Slam title, will next meet former Australian Open semi-finalist Tommy Paul, who dropped just three games in a runaway win over Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who was at less than full fitness following his back-to-back comebacks from two sets down in the previous two rounds.
“I’m extremely happy to be in the quarter-finals after losing only one set, and my opponent played incredible [to win that set],” Zverev said. “A week ago I was very unsure of my level. I couldn’t play many points in practice or prepare the way I wanted.”
-Improving to 3-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Humbert, Zverev clipped 43 winners, including 19 aces, according to Infosys Stats.
The 27-year-old remains unbeaten in six matches this season and has won 14 of his past 15 matches dating back to his title run at the Rolex Paris Masters in November.
Zverev won his first three matches at Melbourne Park in straight sets against Lucas Pouille, Pedro Martinez and Jacob Fearnley.
Zverev’s quarter-final opponent will be 12th seed Paul, after the American ended Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s marathon Melbourne run in emphatic fashion. Paul prevailed 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in just 87 minutes against the Spaniard, who had recovered from two-sets-to-love down in both his second and third-round matches.
“He obviously had some long matches. I knew that going in,” said Paul after hitting 25 winners past Davidovich Fokina, according to Infosys Stats. “I wanted to try and play longer points. He didn’t really let that happen in the first set. He wanted quick sets.
“When you’re playing one of those guys, it’s always tough because you don’t know at any point, he can turn it on and the match could be completely different. Those are the matches you really got to lock in the whole time.”
The 27-year-old is now into his third major quarter-final, and his second at the Australian Open after his semi-final run in Melbourne in 2023.
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