Alexander Zverev had to answer a tricky question after his second-round victory, one that posed more complications than the match itself. Asked in a post-match interview whether he would cut off his prized mullet hairstyle in the event of a Grand Slam title, the tennis star replied firmly: “No,” smiling, adding: “Let it grow as long as possible. We all end up bald at some point.”
Unlike Zverev, who quickly brushed aside the routine nature of his eighth third-round entry in Melbourne, Laura Siegemund showed a real range of emotions just ten hours earlier after her surprise victory over the Olympic champion in Paris. The 36-year-old fell to the ground, arms outstretched, wearing a beaming smile.
Ranked 97th in the world, she stunned fifth seed Zheng Qinwen with a score of 7:6 (7:3), 6:3, pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament so far. Former national coach Barbara Rittner described it as a “great feeling” during her commentary on Eurosport, although Siegemund herself offered a different perspective.
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“I played incredibly well today; I can’t pull that out of my hat every day,” said the Suabienne after her unexpected but fully deserved triumph. “But on the other hand, it’s not just luck. It requires determination and faith.” She considered it “one of the best wins of my career” although she has refocused her attention on doubles competitions of late.
According to data provider Opta, Siegemund is the first German tennis player since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to beat a top-five player at the Australian Open. She will face Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round on Friday.
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That same day, a still undefeated Zverev will face Jacob Fearnley of Great Britain for a place in the round of 16. Given his current form, the Hamburg native is the hot favorite.
Zverev appeared to benefit from two days of rest after his convincing first-round victory over Frenchman Lucas Pouille. He looked fit and focused from the start, setting a high pace which visibly overwhelmed the Spanish clay court specialist.
Zverev impressed with his signature powerful serves and precise cross-court shots, even incorporating some tricky drop shots. He maintained his pace even in tense situations, like during the third service game of the first set where he saved four break points without losing his composure.
“He has acclimatized perfectly to the tournament now. I can’t point out any weaknesses – on the contrary, everything looks very promising,” said Eurosport expert Boris Becker.
Meanwhile, Tatjana Maria and Jule Niemeier were both eliminated in the second round. Maria (37) was defeated by Denmark’s Clara Tauson with a score of 2:6, 2:6, while Niemeier (25) could not find her rhythm against Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, losing 3:6, 0:6.
