Zverev wins second-straight five-set encounter at Roland Garros; Dimitrov still yet to reach fourth round in Paris; Djokovic battles through
Friday 1 June 2018 17:18, UK
Alexander Zverev survived another five-set battle to reach the French Open fourth round at the expense of Damir Dzumhur.
The second seed fought back to beat Dusan Lajovic on Wednesday, and Zverev broke Dzumhur when the 26th seed was serving for the match in the fourth set, before going on to win 6-2 3-6 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 after almost four hours on court.
Up next for Zverev, who has never progressed beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam, is the victor of Lucas Pouille's match with Karen Khachanov.
Zverev breezed through the opening set in 25 minutes, breaking the Bosnian twice without offering his opponent a sniff on serve.
The German even moved a break up in the second, but Dzumhur stunned to win five games in a row to level up the match.
The pair then traded breaks in the third set, and after Dzumhur stole ahead, he served out the set - but only after he saved two more break points in the 10th game.
A tense fourth set followed, but Dzumhur crumbled when serving for the match as Zverev broke to love to force the tie-break, which he then dominated to take it to a decider.
As the clock ticked towards the fourth hour, both players struggled on serve, but after two breaks apiece, Zverev dug deep to save match point and level the fifth set at 5-5.
The 21-year-old broke Dzumhur in the 11th game and then served out the match to secure his first Grand Slam win against a top-50 opponent at the eighth time of trying.
Meanwhile, fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov fell 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-4 to the experienced Fernando Verdasco, with the Bulgarian exiting at the third-round stage for a third time on what is undoubtedly his weakest surface.
After breaking one another in the opening two games, it was Dimitrov who missed four set-point opportunities in the 12th game on Verdasco's serve.
The Spaniard finally held serve after six deuces, and though he trailed the tie-break 3-1, he won six of the next seven points to take a one-set lead.
Dimitrov looked to bounce back, but after squandering two break points, Verdasco reeled off four games in a row to take the second set 6-2.
Verdasco was twice a break up in the third set, only to see Dimitrov fight back on both occasions, but eventually broke again in the 10th game, converting his first match point to set up a fourth-round match with Novak Djokovic.
The former world No 1 dropped his first set, and smashed his first racket, but the the 2016 Paris winner eventually found a way past Bautista Agut, winning 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.
"Fours hours for the match, I'm a bit tired, Bautista Agut plays with too much patience for me, but I'm very happy to have won the match," said Djokovic, who holds a 10-4 head-to-head record over Verdasco.
"Bautista Agut is a specialist on this surface. Conditions were obviously very difficult, it was sunny, it rained. But it was a special win."
Spain's 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta struggled to rediscover his touch as he committed 34 unforced errors in a 2-6 7- 6 (7-5) 6-3 6-1 defeat by Italian Marco Cecchinato.
