Zverev Marches On at Australian Open with Convincing Victory

Second seed Alexander Zverev eased into the Australian Open fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Britain's Jacob Fearnley, extending his unbeaten start to the tournament.

Alexander Zverev, the second seed, continued his dominant run at the Australian Open on Friday, dispatching Briton Jacob Fearnley in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, in two hours and two minutes on Margaret Court Arena. Zverev's victory sets up a clash against the winner of the all-French showdown between Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils for a place in the quarter-finals.

Zverev's win marked his 28th Australian Open victory, moving him just one behind Boris Becker for the most by a German player. The 27-year-old is seeking to improve on his semi-final finish last year and has been methodical in his approach, yet to drop a set in the tournament. Zverev made his first move in game six, capitalizing on a Fearnley double fault to break serve and ultimately win the set.

Alexander Zverev hat auch die dritte Hürde auf dem Weg zum erhofften Grand-Slam-Titel genommen und zieht ins Achtelfinale ein! 👏 #SkyTennis #Zverev #AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/wa6LkMn5DF

— Sky Sport (@SkySportDE) January 17, 2025

The second set saw both players exchange early breaks before Zverev gained the upper hand. Another double fault from Fearnley allowed Zverev to break serve once more, and a poorly executed backhand at the net sealed the German's 5-4 lead. Zverev again gave up an early break in the third set but quickly regained his composure to put pressure on Fearnley's serve and move 4-2 clear before cruising to the finish line.

Zverev enjoyed one of his best seasons last year, but he is still seeking his first Grand Slam title. Runner-up finishes at the 2020 US Open and French Open last year remain his best Grand Slam results so far.