Wimbledon 2021: Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (4) Alexander Zverev vs (16) Felix Auger-Aliassime
Date: 5 July 2021
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon
Round: Fourth Round (Round of 16)
Venue: London, Great Britain
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize money: £17,066,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime preview
Alexander Zverev will meet Felix Auger-Aliassime on Monday for a place in his first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
Zverev faced a stern test against Taylor Fritz on Saturday, but found a way to win the four-set encounter. Earlier in the tournament the German won his first two rounds in straight sets, using his imperious serving, returning and volleying skills to dominate his opponents.
Zverev has been a consistent performer at Grand Slams since the 2020 Australian Open. Having made his maiden Major final at the US Open last year, the 24-year-old has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the last four at Roland Garros in 2021.
He has won 27 of his 37 matches this year, including title runs at Acapulco and the Madrid Masters.
Felix Auger-Aliassime is also having a strong season, especially on grass. The Canadian reached the finals at Melbourne 2 and Stuttgart, and on grass he is an impressive 9-2 for the year so far.
Auger-Aliassime beat 10-time champion Roger Federer en route the Halle semifinals, and lost to Marin Cilic in the title match at Stuttgart. Now making just his second appearance at Wimbledon, the 20-year-old has beaten Thiago Monteiro, Mikael Ymer and Nick Kyrgios to reach the fourth round for the first time.
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime head-to-head
Alexander Zverev has met Felix Auger-Aliassime three times on the tour, winning all three meetings in straight sets. However, this will be the first time the duo will lock horns on grass or at a Major.
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime prediction
Although Alexander Zverev has a 3-0 head-to-head advantage over Felix Auger-Aliassime, this match could be a tough battle for the German.
Zverev serves bigger than Auger-Aliassime, but the Canadian arguably has more powerful groundstrokes and better volleying skills. Coming into Wimbledon, Auger-Aliassime has also had more matches on grass, a surface where he is at his best.
Moreover, the 20-year-old is adept at generating his own pace, an attribute that tends to pay rich dividends on the slick surface. As Zverev himself noted after his third-round match, Auger-Aliassime's quick-strike tennis makes it difficult for opponents to play aggressively.
Nevertheless, considering Zverev's superior big-match pedigree, he might be able to eventually wear Auger-Aliassime down. The German's defense and consistency are among the world's best, and if Auger-Aliassime can't keep his errors in check then he would be in for a world of trouble.
Prediction: Alexander Zverev to win in four sets.