Alexander Zverev showcased his dominance over left-handers with a commanding victory against Ugo Humbert, earning his spot in the Australian Open quarter-finals and extending his unbeaten streak against southpaws to 26 matches.
In front of an electric Melbourne crowd, Zverev powered past the Frenchman 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a match that highlighted the German’s blend of power and precision. With 43 winners and 19 aces, the World No. 2 left no doubt about his form as he chases his elusive first Grand Slam title.
“I’m extremely happy to be in the quarter-finals after losing only one set, and my opponent played incredible [to win that set],” Zverev said post-match. “A week ago, I was unsure of my level. I couldn’t prepare the way I wanted.”
Zverev’s path to the last eight has been near flawless, dropping just one set across four matches, including straight-sets wins over Lucas Pouille, Pedro Martinez, and Jacob Fearnley. His resurgence comes after a strong end to 2024, where he lifted the Rolex Paris Masters trophy and entered 2025 brimming with confidence.
Awaiting him in the quarter-finals is American 12th seed Tommy Paul, who dismantled a weary Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a ruthless 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 display. Davidovich Fokina, drained from consecutive five-set comebacks earlier in the tournament, had no answers to Paul’s relentless attack, which included 25 winners in just 87 minutes.
