Alexander Zverev shares candid thoughts after hard-fought win against Griekspoor: ‘I need to get one of these’

Alexander Zverev secured a spot in the Munich Open semifinals after grinding out a 2-1 victory against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor in a grueling three-hour-and-16-minute battle. The German star now prepares to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan for a chance to make it to the finals and claim his third career title at this tournament.

The win didn’t come easily, as Griekspoor held a match point in the second set, but failed to convert. Afterward, Zverev expressed his relief and happiness over clinching the high-stakes match, noting how important it was for him to come out on top in such a tightly contested showdown.

“I’m extremely happy. Finally, I won a close one,” said a visibly relieved Zverev. “I’ve lost a few of those in the past few months, and I always said, ‘I need to get one of these.’ I did today”.

The German also highlighted the resilience he showed during the pivotal moments of the match, particularly when the odds seemed stacked against him. “I’m extremely happy with how I hung in there, especially in the third set, being 0/40 down in my second service game. I’m proud to win this match and looking forward to the next two, hopefully,” he added.

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates after winning his quarter final match against Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for BMW)

Zverev on facing Griekspoor

The clash between Zverev and Griekspoor was nothing short of dramatic, with both players pushing each other to the limit. Zverev admitted that matches against the Dutch player often turn into unpredictable battles, as they’ve had similarly intense encounters in the past, including a memorable match at Indian Wells.

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“Me and Tallon, we kind of always have weird matches,” Zverev explained. “In Indian Wells, I was serving for the match and lost my serve, then he was serving for the match and lost his serve. So you never know with us two. It’s always entertaining; we always go the distance, and I’m happy with the win”.

Heated exchange with a fan

The high-intensity match wasn’t without its controversy. Late in the second set, with the score tied at 5-5, a fan shouted an offensive remark toward Zverev, yelling, “Let’s go, you … wife-beater!” The comment prompted the German to immediately call for action from the chair umpire. “Fergus, please kick him out,” Zverev told the umpire, requesting the fan’s removal.

Despite the tense moment, Zverev managed to stay focused and close out the match. Reflecting on the incident, he shrugged it off with a smile: “I don’t even care if it was a roller-coaster ride, I won”.