Alexander Zverev finally solved the Taylor Fritz puzzle, defeating the American 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to reach his first Wimbledon semi-final and extend his Grand Slam momentum.
The German second seed entered the match with seven consecutive losses to Fritz, including a painful defeat at Wimbledon in 2024. This time, Zverev delivered one of his cleanest performances, breaking early and maintaining control throughout. He sealed the victory with a stunning backhand winner, roaring in relief after ending a two-year losing streak.
Fresh from his French Open triumph, Zverev now pursues back-to-back Grand Slam titles. His win made him only the fifth German man in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, joining Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Rainer Schuettler, and Tommy Haas.
Zverev acknowledged the significance of the breakthrough. “I played a fantastic match. He’s been beating me for two years straight. I knew I had to be perfect today,” he said.
Fritz struggled after requiring a medical timeout for his right knee in the second set. Zverev capitalised on the dip, breaking again and cruising to a two-set lead. By the third, Fritz’s resistance collapsed, and Zverev closed out the match with minimal fuss.
The victory marked Zverev’s 12th Grand Slam semi-final overall but his first at Wimbledon. He now faces Britain’s Arthur Fery, whose fairytale run has captivated home fans. Zverev joked about the crowd’s allegiance: “You guys can all be for Fery. It’s totally fine. For him, it’s a ‘Fery-tale’ story.”
