Rising star Alexander Zverev stormed into his first Grand Slam semi-final on Wednesday, rallying from a set down to beat veteran Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open.
The German seventh seed was thumped in the first set but recovered to down the 2014 champion 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and made good on what has long been expected from the talented 22-year-old
“It feels awesome,” said Zverev after the match. “I’ve done well at other tournaments and in other matches but could never break that barrier in Grand Slams. You can’t imagine what this means to me.
“It hope it will be the first of many.”
The German was in a relaxed mood, as he joked with interviewer John McEnroe about his father and coach, Alexander Zverev, Sr.
“He is like a normal coach that doesn’t like his player too much, to be honest,” he said in jest.
But the 22-year-old admitted that working with father is better for him. In 2019, he had tried joining forces with Ivan Lendl but the partnership didn’t work out and there were words exchanged in the press.
“It’s been great. There is a lot of opinion that I should get a new coach, there is a lot of opinion that I should change it up. But every time I am working with my dad, we prove that we can win big tournaments, we can go to the further stages of the big tournaments,” he added.
“He has made me the tennis player that I am. In my opinion, for me there is absolutely no reason to change.”
Zverev also renewed a pledge to donate the Aus$4.12 million ($2.83 million) Australian Open winner’s cheque to bushfire relief if he lifts the title.
The generous 22-year-old German has already raised $50,000 by handing over $10,000 for each match he has won at Melbourne Park, a vow made after his first-round victory. At the same time, he said he would also donate the winner’s earnings should he break through for a maiden Grand Slam title
“Yes, it is still true. I hope I can make it happen,” he told cheering fans on Rod Laver Arena.
“I made the people of Australia a promise. I will keep that promise if it happens.”
Four million Australian dollars would be nice. But there’s people that need it... for rebuilding the lives they once knew.
“It is much more important that they get that money,” he added in an on-court interview with McEnroe.
For Zverev to make good on his pledge he will need to first get past either world number one Rafael Nadal or fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals.
If he can do that, seven-time champion Novak Djokovic or six-time winner Roger Federer await in the final.
Zverev’s run to the last four in Melbourne is the farthest he has got in the 19 Grand Slams he has played.