Alexander Zverev stored it straight sincere when requested about his “good” head-to-head with Carlos Alcaraz because the German tennis star mentioned all of his wins over the Spaniard had been tight whereas all of his losses within the matchup had been an absolute beatdown.
On Thursday, world No. 5 Zverev overcame 57th-ranked Fabian Marozsan 6-3 7-5 to achieve the Miami Masters semifinal. Later that night, Zverev was alleged to be taught his Miami semifinal opponent after the Alcaraz and Grigor Dimitrov match.
In his presser, Zverev was requested about the truth that he has a 5-4 head-to-head towards Alcaraz. The 26-year-old German was fast to downplay the importance of it, highlighting that he was completely hammered in all of his 4 losses towards the present world No. 2 and that he did not stand any probability in these conferences.
Most just lately, Alcaraz destroyed Zverev 6-3 6-1 within the Indian Wells Masters quarterfinal and his previous wins over the German additionally embrace a 6-3 6-1 win within the 2022 Madrid Masters closing and a 6-1 6-2 win in 2023 Madrid.
In terms of Zverev’s wins over Alcaraz, his current wins over Alcaraz embrace a 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-4 win on the 2023 ATP Finals and a 6-1 6-3 6-7 (2) 6-4 win at this yr’s Australian Open.
“Nicely, really the matches that I gained, they had been powerful battles at occasions, you already know, and great-level tennis. The matches that he gained towards me, he completely destroyed me,” Zverev mentioned.
“So, you already know, it is typically that. I believe typically we play on the later levels of the tournaments the place we’re each enjoying extraordinarily nicely already, and it is type of like back-and-forth and I got here out on high a couple of occasions.
“You understand, he beat me twice in Madrid the place I had completely no probability. He beat me in Indian Wells the place I had no probability. He beat me on the US Open the place I had no probability.”
Fortune then smiles at Zverev, who avoids Alcaraz
When Zverev sealed a Miami semifinal ticket, the overall perception and expectation was that he could be dealing with Alcaraz subsequent as a result of the two-time Grand Slam champion entered the Dimitrov match because the heavy favourite. However Alcaraz did not get the job accomplished as Dimitrov upset the second-seeded Spaniard 6-2 6-4 to achieve the semifinal.
With that being mentioned, Zverev averted dealing with Alcaraz for the second time throughout this Sunshine Double. However in his press convention, Zverev already previewed his potential semifinal versus Alcaraz.
“So I do know that I’ve to play my finest tennis to even go into this type of battle, go into this battle with him. As a result of for those who’re not feeling the ball or for those who’re feeling such as you’re put beneath strain from the start, more often than not it has been a really fast match,” Zverev added.
“However I do not know. I imply, I believe we’re each aggressive gamers, I believe particularly at later levels of the tournaments. At first of tournaments, I am at all times perhaps a bit bit holding again, perhaps a gradual starter to tournaments. However I believe the levels the place we’re enjoying at, semifinals, quarterfinals of Grand Slams and massive occasions, to get there it’s a must to play nicely.
“That’s perhaps extra of an element than simply what suits nicely within the matchup. However as I mentioned, towards Carlos, it’s a must to play nicely, in any other case you are going to get blown off the courtroom.”
Zverev owns a dominant head-to-head towards Dimitrov
When Zverev and 32-year-old Dimitrov meet in Miami on Friday, it will likely be the ninth time that they’re squaring off towards one another. Heading into the match, former world No. 2 Zverev owns a reasonably dominant head-to-against Dimitrov, beating the previous world No. 3 seven occasions of their previous eight conferences.
Whereas Dimitrov is enjoying nicely and coming off very robust back-to-back wins over Hubert Hurkacz and Alcaraz, Zverev has additionally been excellent and he’ll nonetheless enter the match because the slight favourite.
Additionally, Zverev is not any stranger to creating deep ends in Miami as in 2018 he made the ultimate on the event earlier than dropping to John Isner. On the opposite aspect, that is simply the primary yr that 32-year-old Dimitrov has been in a position to make it previous the round-of-16 stage in Miami.
Final yr, Zverev and Dimitrov twice met on the onerous courts in the US. On each events, Zverev was the one ending on the profitable aspect, having overwhelmed Dimitrov 6-2 6-2 on the Cincinnati Masters and having earned a 6-7 (2) 7-6 (8) 6-1 6-1 win on the US Open.
It stays to be seen if Zverev can clinch his eighth win over Dimitrov and make his second Miami closing.