PARIS (Reuters) - In a nail-biting match at the Monte Carlo Country Club, Alexander Zverev got out his best form in the tie-break of the deciding set as the second seed eliminated Jannik Sinner 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5) to reach his second semifinal at Monaco.
The two players produced 10 breaks in total in the marathon match which lasted over three hours.
The German fought back twice from a break down in the third set and finally forced the tough battle to a tie-break before the 24-year-old Zverev sew up the win 7-5 after Sinner’s backhand netted.
Storming into the quarterfinals without dropping a set, the world No 3 has the opportunity to close the gap with Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev on the ATP rankings, as he will move within 235 points of top-ranked Djokovic if he finishes the week with a title in the opening clay-court Masters of the season.
Zverev had already tasted the victory in Rome and Madrid, meaning that Monte Carlo is the only ATP Masters 1000 tournament on clay court that he has never won.
Next for the German will be defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has also survived a three-set thriller to advance.
Under the floodlights on Court Rainier III, the third seed squandered a 5-2 lead in the second set, before clawing back from 0-4 down in the decider to secure the victory 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 after two hours and 45 minutes.