Alexander Zverev’s first serve averaged 131.7mph in his comprehensive win over Taylor Fritz, setting up a Wimbledon semi-final against British revelation Arthur Fery. The No. 2 seed defeated the American sixth seed 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours on No. 1 Court.
Zverev’s Serve Dominates
Zverev’s serve was a key weapon, with his first serve averaging 131.7mph and his second 115mph. According to tournament statistics, no player at Wimbledon this year has served harder. Fritz admitted that Zverev’s serving makes him incredibly tough to beat. “That’s not something that I feel really changes from day to day with him,” Fritz said. “I feel like you can kind of expect that he’s going to show up and serve at least 70% first serves, bombs. He’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
Fritz Struggles with Knee Injury
Fritz’s performance was hampered by tendinitis in his right knee, which flared up after three games and required treatment. Despite the injury, he acknowledged that Zverev’s form would have been difficult to handle even at his best. “I felt like, just because I was thinking about the knee, my focus was kind of all over the place,” Fritz said. “But he was very aggressive with his forehand and his backhand as well. Very aggressive. Hit the ball great. He played really well and did a lot of things that are big improvements to his game.”
Zverev’s Improvement at Wimbledon
Zverev had never advanced beyond the last 16 at Wimbledon before this year. He expressed his delight at finally performing well at the tournament. “Last year at this time I was practising on the hard courts already. It is a dream come true to finally play well at Wimbledon. I’ve waited a long time for it,” he said.
Facing Arthur Fery
Zverev will face British wildcard Arthur Fery in the semi-final. Despite being the overwhelming favourite, Zverev insists he will not underestimate Fery. “The first time I watched him play was actually in Australia. He beat Cobolli in the first round. I was very impressed back then already,” Zverev said. “He has a very clean technique and very clean ground strokes. I thought he was a very good tennis player already, back then. Of course, it’s maybe a surprise that he’s in the semi-finals. But I think he deserves it. The wins that he had, the way he fought back in a couple of those matches, is great to see. It’s a great story.”
Crowd Atmosphere
Zverev acknowledged that the majority of the Centre Court crowd will be supporting Fery. “I know that 99% of the people will be cheering for him,” he said. “But I also enjoy those kind of atmospheres. I enjoy it when the energy is very high. I always feel like the English crowd here, especially in London, they’re always quite fair. So I just look forward to a tough challenge in the semi-finals of a slam.”
Zverev’s Formidable Game
Fritz highlighted improvements in Zverev’s game beyond serving. “He’s changing direction a lot with the backhand. He’s serving such a high percentage, good spots. Really pulling the trigger with the forehand,” Fritz said. Zverev’s victory extended his winning streak against top opponents, and he now awaits the winner of the other semi-final between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
