Ugo Humbert’s dream of shining at the Australian Open was shattered in the round of 16 against Alexander Zverev. Despite a great start, the Frenchman ended up losing in 4 sets. Story of a match with twists and turns…
It was in the stifling heat of Melbourne that this long-awaited round of 16 was played out between the Frenchman Ugo Humbert and the German Alexander Zverev. Despite an excellent start to the match, Ugo Humbert’s dream of shining at the Australian Open was finally shattered after 2h16 of intense play.
Humbert starts away but Zverev hangs on
From the start of the match, Ugo Humbert sets his pace and plays his tennis. Precise and aggressive, he broke his opponent from the start and easily won the first set 6-1 in just 27 minutes. Alexander Zverev seems stunned but does not admit defeat.
In the second set, the German pulls himself together and manages to raise his level of play. The exchanges intensify and the two players compete in power and precision. At the end of a fierce battle, it was finally Zverev who equalized at one set everywhere by winning 6-3.
A decisive third set
The third set promises to be crucial for the rest of the match. And both players are well aware of this. The tension is palpable on the court. The games follow one another, each more contested than the last. At 4-3 in favor of Zverev, a double fault from Humbert gives the break to the German who does not tremble as he concludes this very important set.
Zverev no longer lets go of his prey
Carried by the dynamic, Alexander Zverev continued his momentum in the fourth set. Despite good resistance, Ugo Humbert seems to be holding back physically. He also commits more unforced errors. The German took the opportunity to make the break at 4-2 and fly to victory. Humbert finally lost 6-2 in this last set.
-I’m really disappointed with my performance today. I started very well but I wasn’t able to maintain that level throughout the match. Alexander was stronger and more consistent. I will remember the positives and continue to work to come back stronger.
Ugo Humbert at a press conference
The step was too high this time
Despite this defeat in the round of 16, Ugo Humbert can be proud of his performance during this Australian Open. He confirms his progress and asserts himself a little more as one of the best French players of the moment. A good omen for the rest of his season.
For his part, Alexander Zverev offers himself a place in the quarter-finals where he will face the American Tommy Paul. The German is a serious contender for the title after his convincing victories since the start of the tournament. It remains to be confirmed for the future.
