World no. 2 Alexander Zverev is safely through to his fourth Australian Open quarter-final. The German faced Ugo Humbert in the fourth round at John Cain Arena and earned a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory in two hours and 16 minutes.
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Alexander lost his first set of the tournament but recovered his game and toppled a dangerous opponent in style. Zverev dominated the sets he won and arranged the quarter-final duel against the 12th seed Tommy Paul.
The German navigated through the match nicely, serving at 71% and firing 19 aces. He dropped only ten points behind the first serve but struggled behind the second. Alexander faced seven break points and lost serve two times in that loose second set.
Humbert could not follow the rival's numbers, especially after taking seven of 30 points behind the second serve! The Frenchman played against 16 break points and experienced six breaks, ending his campaign in the fourth round.
Zverev tamed his strokes nicely and hit 43 winners and29 unforced errors. Ugo responded with a 23-41 ratio, makingtoo many mistakes. World no. 2 took charge in the shortest, mid-range and most advanced rallies and sealed the deal in style.
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The German was the only player on the court in the first set. He barely lost a point on serve and provided three straight breaks. Humbert squandered a 40-15 lead in the third game and sent a backhand long to suffer a break and fall behind.
Zverev closed the fourth game with a powerful serve and made another push on the return in the next one. He landed a backhand winner and claimed a break for a 4-1 lead. A left-hander missed a backhand in game seven, suffering another break and losing the opener 6-1 in 27 minutes.
Humbert saved two break points in the early stage of the second set and gained confidence. He converted the fifth break chance in the fifth game with a forced error, moving in front and improving his chances. The Frenchman denied a break point in the sixth game.
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Zverev played another loose service game at 2-4 and missed a forehand to fall further behind. Ugo served for the set at 5-2 and landed a service winner on a set point, leveling the overall score at 1-1 after an hour and eight minutes.
Alexander recovered his initial shot in the third set and provided five comfortable holds. The Frenchman followed that pace and leveled the score at 3-3 with a fine hold. The German fired a service winner in the seventh game, moving 4-3 in front.
World no. 2 made a push on the return in the eighth game and clinched a break that sent him 5-3 up. Zverev landed an ace in game nine, holding at love and moving two sets to one in front after an hour and 44 minutes. Alexander had the upper hand in the fourth set.
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He held at love in game two with a forehand winner and provided a break at 15 in the next one after the rival's massive forehand error. Zverev cemented the break with an ace in game four, opening a 3-1 gap and moving closer to the finish line.
Alexander denied a break point in game six and held for a 4-2 lead. World no. 2 cracked a backhand down the line winner in the seventh game, earning another break and serving for the win at 5-2. He created a match point and welcomed the rival's forehand error, sailing into the last eight.
