Australian Open 2024: Alexander Zverev survives gruelling five-set battle against Lukas Klein
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Jan 18, 2024, 1:10 PM ISTWorld number six, Alexander Zverev, faced an epic showdown at the Australian Open, enduring a marathon five-set thriller against Slovak qualifier Lukas Klein.
The Australian Open witnessed a grueling battle on Thursday as world number six, Alexander Zverev, faced an intense challenge from Slovak qualifier Lukas Klein. In a marathon contest lasting four-and-a-half hours on Margaret Court Arena, Zverev managed to secure victory in five sets, overcoming Klein 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/7). The match posed a significant test for the sixth seed, who narrowly avoided a second-round exit in Melbourne.
WHAT A BATTLE!
World #6 and Olympic champ Alexander Zverev survives #163 Lukas Klein 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(10-7) to reach the 3rd round at the .
4h30.
Klein hit 80 (!) winners.
Wow. INCREDIBLE match! pic.twitter.com/FIct0OLjwe
Zverev, who is set to face trial in May for an alleged assault on his former girlfriend in 2020, a claim he denies, expressed the difficulty of the match against Klein, ranked 163rd and without a current coach. Despite acknowledging Klein's exceptional play, Zverev reflected on his relief at advancing to the third round, where he will face unseeded American Alex Michelsen.
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While Zverev started strongly by securing the only break in the first set, Klein fought back, demonstrating resilience and skill. The Slovak player's baseline winner in the second set and a net volley break in the third set kept the match finely balanced. The fourth set saw a tense tie-break, with Klein's netted forehand proving decisive. The drama continued into the fifth set, where Zverev faced and saved a break point before breaking Klein for a 2-1 lead. However, Klein, displaying determination, broke back to level at 3-3, leading to a nail-biting tie-break finale cheered on by the crowd.
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