Paris, June June 2: Alexander Zverev continued his dominant run at French Open 2025, reaching the quarter-finals for the seventh time in eight years after his fourth-round opponent Tallon Griekspoor was forced to retire midway through their clash on Monday.
The World No. 3 led 6-4, 3-0 on Court Suzanne-Lenglen when Griekspoor, seemingly drained of energy, called for the physio and then decided to end the match after 54 minutes. The Dutchman had made a bright start, breaking Zverev early and racing to a 3-0 lead in the opening set, but his intensity faded rapidly as the German regained control.
It marked the third meeting of the season between the two players, whose budding rivalry has produced thrilling battles throughout 2024. Griekspoor had claimed a landmark win over Zverev at Indian Wells earlier this year, saving five match points before clinching the biggest victory of his career in tense tiebreaks. Zverev responded by avenging the loss on home soil in Munich, edging another tight contest en route to lifting the title.
Now leading their overall 8-2, Zverev appears to be peaking at the right time in Paris. A finalist last year, where he fell in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev has looked assured in his 2025 campaign, brushing aside Learner Tien, Jesper de Jong, and Flavio Cobolli in earlier rounds before Monday’s abbreviated win.The 28-year-old will next face either top seed Novak Djokovic or Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals. While Djokovic holds an 8-5 edge in their past meetings, Zverev boasts a commanding 6-0 record against Norrie.Griekspoor was trying to reach the quarter-finals at a major for the first time. Last week, the 28-year-old defeated Marcos Giron and Gabriel Diallo in four sets and overcame Ethan Quinn in a three-hour, 16-minute five-setter.
Zverev’s path to the Roland Garros quarterfinals may have taken an unexpected turn with Griekspoor’s retirement, but the German’s form on clay this season remains undeniable. Calm, clinical, and increasingly confident, the World No. 3 is shaping into a genuine contender for the title once again.
As he awaits a heavyweight clash against either Djokovic or Norrie, Zverev’s blend of power and poise could prove decisive in the business end of the tournament. For now, the 2024 finalist looks firmly on course for another deep run in Paris — and perhaps, redemption on the terre battue.
With Monday’s result, Zverev not only extended his impressive record at Roland Garros but also underlined his growing stature as one of the most consistent performers on clay in recent years. The German has now reached the last eight in each of his last five appearances in Paris, a testament to his adaptability and mental resolve. While the early retirement of Griekspoor may have denied fans a longer contest, it allowed Zverev to conserve precious energy ahead of a potential blockbuster quarterfinal. (IANS)
