Alexander Zverev rallied from a double break down in the fifth set to beat Dutch 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10/3) to reach the French Open last 16 on Saturday. Zverev trailed 4-1 in the decider but produced an astonishing comeback to make the fourth round at Roland Garros for the seventh consecutive year, the day after the start in Berlin of a trial against him over allegations of assaulting an ex-girlfriend.
Fourth seed Zverev, who effectively ended Rafael Nadal’s French Open career in the first round, will meet 13th seed Holger Rune or world number 145 Jozef Kovalik for a place in the quarter-finals.
The German arrived in Paris on the back of winning the Rome Open title and is the only player to reach the semi-finals at the last three French Open tournaments.
Medvedev advances
Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev beat Tomas Machac in four sets to reach the last 16 at the French Open for the third time in his career.
Medvedev won 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 against the world number 34 from the Czech Republic and will play Alex de Minaur or Jan-Lennard Struff for a spot in the quarter-finals.
“It was a very hard match,” said Medvedev. “I’m happy I stayed consistent despite some tough moments in the third set.”
Auger-Aliassime sets up Alcaraz last 16 clash
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime booked a French Open last 16 clash against Carlos Alcaraz after sweeping past Ben Shelton of the United States.
The 21st-seeded Canadian cantered to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 win over his 15th-ranked opponent in a tie held over from Friday.
Auger-Aliassime reached the fourth round in Paris in 2022 when he lost in five sets to Rafael Nadal.
The 23-year-old holds a 3-2 career lead over world number three Alcaraz although the two men have never met on clay.
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