Alexander Zverev booked his place in the quarterfinals of the BMW Open by Bitpanda with a dominant victory over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo. The top seed delivered a composed straight-sets win in ideal conditions in Munich.
Straightforward Win for Zverev
Zverev dominated the encounter from the outset, playing on a packed Center Court in front of Bayern Munich players and his family. The German won 83 per cent of his first-service points and saved the only break point he faced. He capitalised on five of his eight break-point chances to advance in one hour and 13 minutes.
“It was much more straightforward than in the first match,” said Zverev. “I think he had some issues with his back and wasn’t serving fully in the second set anymore. Very unfortunate, but of course I am happy with the win and getting an easier match today.”
Zverev also expressed his pleasure with Bayern Munich’s win in the Champions League quarterfinals. “It was an amazing win yesterday; I was there watching. I took the kids down to the locker room afterwards and they were so nice to them. It was a great experience,” Zverev said.
Cerundolo Awaits in Quarterfinals
Zverev will face fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo next. The Argentine cruised past Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0. Cerundolo said, “I wasn’t in a hurry, but it’s always nice to win fast to save energy for tomorrow when I have to play again.”
Cerundolo has now reached back-to-back quarterfinals in Munich. “I like the conditions here,” he said. “The clay is similar to the one in Argentina. It feels like home. There is a bit of altitude, but I am comfortable on this surface. My tennis is good and I hope I can keep going.”
Zverev Anticipates Clay Challenge
Zverev leads their head-to-head record 4-3, having won the last four encounters. “I have never beaten him on clay, which is his favorite surface, but I am definitely looking forward to the challenge,” Zverev said. He added he was very happy to be at this stage, facing a tough opponent.
Molcan’s Impressive Run Continues
In the bottom half of the draw, qualifier Alex Molcan continued his impressive run at the BMW Open by Bitpanda with his fourth consecutive win this week.
Zverev is looking forward to his eighth quarterfinal appearance in Munich.