MELBOURNE, Australia — The electrifying No. 2 seed, Alexander Zverev, stormed into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the fourth time, overpowering No. 14 Ugo Humbert with an impressive score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Zverev showcased his prowess with a remarkable tally of 19 aces and a commanding 43-23 lead in total winners on a thrilling Sunday night.
Next on Zverev’s agenda is a much-anticipated clash on Tuesday against the resilient 12th-seeded American, Tommy Paul. Paul dazzled fans by cutting short Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s comeback streak, securing his spot in the quarterfinals with a decisive 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 triumph earlier in the day.
Despite facing challenges leading up to the tournament due to an arm injury that sidelined him from the United Cup team competition, Zverev’s performance has been stellar. “Just a week ago, I was uncertain about my game. I hadn’t been able to play many sets in practice,” the 27-year-old German shared, reflecting on his rocky start.
Paul’s conquest was swift, taking less than 1.5 hours to defeat a struggling Davidovich Fokina, whose recent performances had been nothing short of miraculous. “What he achieved in his last few matches is incredible… to pull it off twice is remarkable,” Paul remarked, paying tribute to his opponent.
With a commanding performance, Paul amassed nearly double the points as Davidovich Fokina, 85 to 43, ensuring he steps into the Zverev matchup with ample energy. “This week, I decided to take a different approach and not practice on off days. After a tough five-setter, my body needed the rest. Each match has been progressively shorter since,” noted Paul, who hails from New Jersey but was raised in North Carolina.
“My body feels fantastic right now, especially following today’s brief match. It’s advantageous for a deep tournament run,” Paul added optimistically. His pinnacle achievement at a Grand Slam was reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2023, and he aims to replicate that success against Zverev, who is a two-time major finalist, having finished as runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open and the 2024 French Open.
Last year, Zverev fell in the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the second time, a memory he hopes to overcome. Paul stands out as one of four American men to advance to the fourth round this year, alongside No. 21 Ben Shelton, qualifier Learner Tien, and Alex Michelsen, who are also vying for a quarterfinal spot in their matches on Monday.
Interestingly, Paul has so far bested Zverev in both of their previous encounters, with the latest match occurring in 2022.
“I need to be at my very best,” Zverev declared firmly. “I’ll strive to replicate my level from the first week—ideally, even better.”