Alexander Zverev reached the French Open quarter-finals with a dramatic five-set victory over Holger Rune, finishing at 01:40 local time in Paris. The fourth seed battled for four hours and 40 minutes to defeat the Danish 13th seed, winning 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.
The match was the second in three days at Roland Garros to conclude in the early morning hours. Zverev and Rune’s encounter followed Novak Djokovic’s five-set triumph over Lorenzo Musetti, which ended at 03:07 on Sunday. Zverev’s match started late, with warm-ups beginning after 21:00 due to the preceding four-hour and 39-minute match between Djokovic and Francisco Cerundolo.
Despite the late hour, Zverev displayed resilience and skill, overcoming Rune in a contest marked by intense exchanges and pivotal moments. Zverev, who is playing under the shadow of an ongoing trial in Berlin regarding assault allegations he denies, showed remarkable focus and determination. The 27-year-old German is still seeking his first Grand Slam title, having reached the semi-finals of the French Open in the past three years.
The match saw Rune break Zverev midway through the first set and save three break points to take an early lead. Zverev responded strongly in the second set, securing three breaks to level the match. However, he faltered at the end of the third set, losing his serve and hitting a crucial volley off target on set point.
In the gripping fourth set, both players broke each other twice before Zverev clinched it with a decisive tie-break. The fifth set saw Zverev maintain control, breaking Rune twice to seal his victory and advance to his 12th Grand Slam quarter-final.
Zverev will next face Alex de Minaur, who defeated fifth seed Daniil Medvedev earlier on Monday, in what promises to be another exciting contest at Roland Garros.
