French Open 2022: 3 things that could determine the outcome of Alexander Zverev's QF clash with Carlos Alcaraz

Alexander Zverev at the 2022 French Open - Day Eight

Third seed Alexander Zverev will take on sixth seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Tuesday. Zverev beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles in straight sets in the fourth round, while Alcaraz destroyed Karen Khachanov.

Alcaraz frise l’excellence depuis deux matchs 🥵

🎯 Prochaine cible ▶️ Alexander Zverev

#RolandGarros | @alcarazcarlos03

Tuesday’s match will be a repeat of the final of the Madrid Open, where Alcaraz prevailed in straight sets.

On that note, here's a look at three factors that could determine the fate of the match:

#1 Zverev’s second serve

Zverev's big first serve can trouble any opponent

Zverev boasts a big first serve and earns a lot of cheap points when it lands. However, the German’s second serve is a liability and Alcaraz will look to exploit that weakness.

Zverev's second serve often crumbles under pressure and leads to excessive double faults. While he's managed to keep that in check in this tournament, his problems might resurface against a player of Alcaraz's calibre.

Thus, it is important that Zverev maintains a high first-serve percentage to have a realistic chance of winning the match.

#2 Can Zverev's forehand hold up against Alcaraz's barrage

Zverev possesses a rock-solid backhand, but his forehand, although powerful, is highly inconsistent. In the final of this year's Madrid Open, Zverev committed far too many unforced errors off his forehand and Alcaraz took advantage of that. He directed most of the traffic to the German's forehand wing and waited for him to make mistakes.

Zverev committed 64 unforced errors in his previous match against Zapata Miralles, which is a staggering number by his standards. He will have to be more disciplined in his approach against Alcaraz and cannot afford to overpress from the baseline.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, has an incredibly ability to transition from defense to offense. His speed and movement are second to none on clay and he has the firepower to hit through any opponent. Hence, the Spaniard will fancy his chances against Zverev in the longer rallies on a slow surface.

#3 Alcaraz’s touch

Alcaraz's ability to play drop shots well might make a difference in the match

Alcaraz is known to play drop shots really well and will likely hit a number of them against Zverev, who stands deep behind the baseline during the rallies. The German is a fantastic mover for his size, but does not enjoy coming to the net.

Pushing the German out of his comfort zone could work wonders for Alcaraz.

Also Check Out :- French Open 2022 Schedule