Zverev avoids shock exit in Paris classic

Alexander Zverev reached nan French Open past 16 aft coming done a nervy five-set thriller against Dutch 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor.

The German 4th seed trailed by a double break astatine 4-1 successful nan deciding group earlier winning 3-6 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-6 (10-3) connected Saturday.

The triumph came a time aft a tribunal lawsuit into home maltreatment allegations against Zverev began successful Berlin.

The Olympic champion, who denies allegations of physically abusing his erstwhile girlfriend, does not person to beryllium coming successful tribunal and has remained successful Paris for nan clay-court major.

Zverev, 27, is among nan favourites to triumph nan Coupe des Mousquetaires and declare his first Grand Slam title this fortnight.

Before nan tourney he insisted nan lawsuit is "not connected my mind" and, aft straight-set wins successful his opening 2 matches, did not speak astir it further.

Against Griekspoor, Zverev did not nutrient nan aforesaid level of accordant ball-striking and looked group to beryllium connected nan extremity of a daze result.

But Griekspoor felt nan unit arsenic he tried to service retired what would person been nan biggest triumph of his career.

The 27-year-old had ne'er reached nan past 16 of a awesome earlier aliases beaten a top-10 opponent.

Zverev's greater acquisition showed successful a assured lucifer tie-break and he will look Denmark's 13th seed Holger Rune aft his 7-5 6-1 7-6 (7-2) triumph complete Slovakia's Jozef Kovalik.

"It was an unthinkable lucifer and he's an unthinkable player," said Zverev, who has reached nan 4th information astatine Roland Garros for nan seventh consecutive year.

"He is unbelievably vulnerable - I don't for illustration to play against him. Credit to him taking it each nan way, it was 1 aliases 2 points present and location that made nan difference."

Zverev, who tuned up for Roland Garros by winning nan Rome title, sealed his ninth consecutive triumph connected clay pinch a 132mph ace down nan middle.

He raised some arms aloft and took nan acclaim of nan Parisian crowd earlier thanking them for their support.

"To beryllium honorable nan ambiance coming was unbelievable, I loved each azygous 2nd of it," Zverev said.

"The support that I get here, I don't deliberation I get astatine immoderate different Grand Slam truthful I really admit it."

Earlier, 5th seed Daniil Medvedev overcame a third-set wobble to hit Tomas Machac 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 1-6 6-4 and advance.

The Russian has made nary concealed of his dislike for clay-courts but arrived successful Paris emotion he could do "big things", external connected nan surface.

He had to activity difficult against Czech Machac, who hit world number 1 Novak Djokovic successful nan Geneva Open semi-finals earlier successful May.

Medvedev went down an early break successful nan 4th group earlier recovering to unafraid triumph and group up a gathering pinch Alex de Minaur.

Australian De Minaur, seeded 11th, came backmost to hit Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-3.

But American 15th seed Ben Shelton suffered a broad 6-4 6-2 6-1 nonaccomplishment to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Auger-Aliassime will person a short turnaround arsenic he takes connected 3rd seed Carlos Alcaraz successful nan 3rd convention connected Chatrier connected Sunday.

Elsewhere, 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov overcame Zizou Bergs connected Chatrier 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-4 to group up a fourth-round gathering pinch Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

The eighth seed progressed aft beating Canada's Denis Shapovalov 6-3 7-6 (7-0) 4-6 6-1.