Zverev overcomes fall, knocks out Norrie on sixth MP of marathon tie-break

Alexander Zverev took a nasty tumble midway through the second set of his match against Cameron Norrie but recovered to defeat the home hope 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(15) on Saturday at Wimbledon. The German tweaked his left knee and twice required treatment on Centre Court, but steadied to see off the British No. 2 following a marathon tie-break.

Zverev converted on his sixth match point of the tie-break after saving five set points. Just three points went against serve in the tie-break, but Zverev was perfect on his deal after he fell behind 0/2.

While Zverev was concerned about his knee and appeared slightly hampered in his movement for a stretch, his consistently brilliant serving allowed him to swing freely on return and threaten throughout the two-and-a-half-hour match.

"My knee went too straight. I overstretched it," Zverev said. "I do have pain right now. I will check it. I will see what the MRI says. But I personally don't think that it can be anything too serious because I still played. Of course, I was limited, I feel like, in some of the movements.

"If you're breaking a ligament or breaking something else, the meniscus or something like that, I don't think you can continue playing even the way I did, so... We'll see what it is. Hopefully I'll be fine in two days' time."

The No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings won 90 per cent (66/73) of his first-serve points and did not face a break point while converting on two of his eight break chances. He relied heavily on his delivery to escape trouble in the crucial tie-break, saving several set points with unreturnable serves.

After improving to 6-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Norrie — including a five-set win at this year' Australian Open — Zverev will next meet 13th seed Taylor Fritz.

Zverev has yet to lose serve or surrender a set this fortnight, with his opening wins against Roberto Carballes Baena and Marcos Giron also coming in straight sets. He saved five break points against Carballes Baena but did not allow Giron a break chance in the second round.

The 27-year-old is the fourth German man in the Open Era to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon at least three times. He also reached the last 16 in 2017 and 2021, but has not advanced further at the All England Club. Zverev has reached at least the semi-finals at each of the other three majors.

Cruising through to R4 🔥

Zverev takes out Norrie 6-4 6-4 7-6(15) to advance ⏭️@wimbledon | #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/AzVNRsCYvr

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 6, 2024

Norrie, who knocked out countryman and British No. 1 Jack Draper in straight sets in the second round, was the last player from Great Britain remaining in the men's singles draw. He was bidding to become the seventh British man in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon fourth round on multiple occasions, a list headed by Andy Murray (11) and Tim Henman (nine).

Cameron Norrie had been the last British man standing in the men's singles. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Zverev's next opponent, Fritz, ousted 24th seed Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 54 minutes.

The American, who has lost just one set through three matches, hit 20 aces and 55 winners overall to make the fourth round at Wimbledon for the second time (2022 quarter-finalist).

Zverev leads Fritz 5-3 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series with two of those meetings coming at Wimbledon. The German won on both occasions, triumphing once in five sets and the other time in a fourth-set tie-break.