Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts as he holds a feather during his quarterfinal match against Tommy Paul of the U.S. during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Alexander Zverev of Germany plays a forehand return to Tommy Paul of the U.S. during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Tommy Paul of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Alexander Zverev of Germany during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Tommy Paul of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Alexander Zverev of Germany during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts during his quarterfinal match against Tommy Paul of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Alexander Zverev of Germany gestures as he talks to his support staff in the coaches box during his quarterfinal match against Tommy Paul of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Alexander Zverev reached his third Australian Open semifinal with a 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1 win over 12th-seeded Tommy Paul of the United States on Tuesday.
The No. 2-ranked Zverev had to save a set point in each of the first two sets but then dominated both tiebreakers.
Zverev is a two-time Grand Slam runner-up. He never has made it that far in Australia.
The German next plays the winner of a quarterfinal later Tuesday that he described as a “clash of generations” between 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who is 37, and four-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz, 21.
Zverev needed three match points — one on Paul’s serve, and two more on his own — to clinch the victory, which he closed with an ace.
Paul was a semifinalist in Melbourne in 2023 and had won both of his previous matches against Zverev, but this was their first Grand Slam meeting.
“To be honest, I should have been down two sets to love. He played better than me,” Zverev said. “I was not playing great, and I thought he was. I somehow won the first set, somehow won the second set I’m in the semifinals, somehow.”…Read more by