French Open: Alexander Zverev 'defined by his resilience' after making semis a year on from injury - Mats Wilander
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Updated 07/06/2023 at 18:25 GMT
It will be another last-four appearance for Alexander Zverev at Roland-Garros after he saw off the considerable threat of Tomas Etcheverry. Mats Wilander, talking in Eurosport's 'The Cube', said Zverev is "back where he should be" after coming back from injury, and that now he should "look to go further than he’s ever been". Wilander also spoke about Etcheverry and an Argentinian tennis revival.
Wilander on Zverev being 'very happy' he was able to reach semi-finals
Alexander Zverev is going to be "defined by his resilience" after making the French Open semi-finals a year on from his horror injury, says Mats Wilander.
Zverev was locked in a fascinating, marathon duel with Rafael Nadal last year at Roland-Garros before going over on his ankle, and left Court Philippe-Chatrier in a wheelchair.
It has been a long road back to fitness for the German, but he has once more made the last four in Paris after seeing off Tomas Etcheverry.
Speaking in Eurosport's The Cube, Wilander said: "He [Zverev] is going to be defined by his resilience and comeback trail that he’s on.
"The whole world heard and saw that [the injury]. It’s very well known that he’s been struggling with his tennis a little, and now he’s back.
"The way he plays is the way he applied himself for the last six months of his comeback: grinding it out, great attitude, runs, plays and hits hard.
"One box [has been] ticked [with the win over Etcheverry]. The next question, unfortunately for him, is going to be is he good enough to get to the final, and then does he have any resistance against Novak [Djokovic] or Carlos [Alcaraz, in a potential final]?
"He’s back to where he should be and where he’s been; he should look to go further than he’s ever been."
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Zverev closes out victory over Etcheverry to reach semi-finals
Tim Henman, also in The Cube, picked up on Zverev - in his post-match interview - comparing Etcheverry to fellow Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro.
"It was interesting to hear Zverev compare Etcheverry to Del Potro," Henman said. "He’s hitting incredibly hard from the back of the court.
"Etcheverry getting that forehand into play, and then attacking down the line, it was an impressive transition from being dictated to [in the first set], to turning the tables in the second set.
"That’s [risky], and it paid off in the second, but he couldn’t quite keep it going in the third."
On the subject of Argentinian tennis seeing a revival, Wilander added: "It’s great for Argentinian tennis, now they have [Francisco] Cerundolo and Etcheverry.
"They’ve got guys coming up, giving [Etcheverry] confidence that he’s not out there alone fighting this war for a big tennis nation like Argentina, who need to have a couple of guys in the quarter-finals of the French Open.
"They always have in the past."
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