ATP Tour

Zverev holds off Giron at Wimbledon, Fritz & Bublik set R4 clash

Alexander Zverev was briefly tested, but delivered a commanding serving performance Saturday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. The second seed overcame a spirited challenge from Marcos Giron for a 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory at the grass major.

Zverev controlled the opening set, dominating behind his first serve before Giron raised his level in the second. The American did not face a break point and forced a tie-break, while Zverev held firm under pressure, saving the only two break points he faced in the set before producing a composed tie-break to move to within a set of victory.

Early in the third set, Zverev broke Giron's serve in the second game. Although he dropped serve at 4-2, Zverev responded immediately to reclaim the lead before sealing the straight-sets win after two hours and 34 minutes.

"He [Giron] is somebody who plays fantastic on grass and he shows it every time he steps out on the surface," Zverev said. "He has won tour-level events on the surface, I knew that I had to be a hundred per cent ready from the first point onwards and I am very happy to be through in straight sets."

The German fired 17 aces and won 77 per cent (54/70) of his first-serve points, but Giron sustained pressure throughout to make the favourite work hard. The 29-year-old now owns a 5-0 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and has won 13 of the 14 sets they have played.

With his third-round triumph, Zverev became the third German man in the Open Era to reach the Round of 16 at Wimbledon at least four times, after three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker (12 times) and 1991 champion Michael Stich (5 times).

Zverev has now equalled his best result at SW19 by reaching the Round of 16 for the fourth time. Wimbledon remains the only major where he has yet to advance beyond the fourth round, having already reached championship matches at the other three majors. Now just one triumph away from a maiden Wimbledon quarter-final, Zverev will next face 13th seed Jiri Lehecka. Earlier in the day, Lehecka defeated Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to book his fourth-round spot.

In other action Saturday, last year's semi-finalist Taylor Fritz, who is seeded to face Zverev in the quarter-finals, also earned a third-round win. The sixth seed rallied from a set down to move past Italian Lorenzo Sonego 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(5) in two hours and 33 minutes. With the victory, Fritz earned a 7-2 lead in the pair's rivalry.

"I'm feeling good about my game," Fritz said. "Getting through the first week to the second is always the first goal and the first step when you're looking to go deep at majors. So, I am happy to get through."

The next test for Fritz in London will be a fourth-round meeting with Alexander Bublik. Later on Saturday, Bublik held firm to outlast Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(11), 4-6, 6-3 in a gripping five-set third-round battle.

The Kazakhstani produced a remarkable escape in the third set, saving nine set points before eventually sealing a dramatic four-hour, eight-minute victory to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the second time.