Fourth seed Alexander Zverev overcame an injury scare and a marathon third-set tiebreak to defeat Cameron Norrie of Great Britain 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(15) at Wimbledon on Saturday. The victory marked Zverev's third appearance in the fourth round at the All England Club.
Zverev's serve proved to be a formidable weapon throughout the match, as he dropped only two points on serve in the third set. However, one of those points came via a double fault that handed Norrie an early advantage in the tiebreak.
Norrie, who had upset new British number one Jack Draper in the previous round, fought valiantly and had five set points of his own to extend the contest. Zverev's knee, which he appeared to strain in the second set, also raised concerns.
Despite the injury and Norrie's spirited resistance, Zverev remained unyielding. He struck the ball with clinical precision and served magnificently, ultimately converting his sixth match point under the Centre Court roof.
"I do feel like a cow on ice sometimes (on grass)," Zverev admitted after the match. "But I managed. I do feel restricted on some of the movements, but I'm pleased I was able to play the way that I did."
Norrie, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, played his best tennis in the tiebreak, but Zverev's unwavering focus and superior shot-making proved too much to overcome.
The match featured an incredible conclusion, with 29 of the first 31 points of the tiebreak going with serve. The tension was palpable as both players refused to blink. Zverev eventually prevailed, but the match could have broken a Wimbledon tiebreak record had it gone on for a few more points.
Tags: #Wimbledon, #AlexanderZverev, #CameronNorrie, #Tennis, #Injury
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