Zverev and Popyrin face off at Paris Olympic 2024. © Twitter (@livetennis)
Reigning Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev is off to a stellar start at the Paris Olympics. The German star has won his first two matches without dropping a set and is now set to face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round. German fans are eager to see him defend his Tokyo title.
Alexander Zverev has had an impressive season so far, winning a title and reaching two finals, four semifinals, and two quarterfinals. At the Paris Olympics, he defeated Spain’s Jaume Munar 6-2, 6-2 in the first round and Tomas Machac 6-3, 7-5 in the second round. In his match against Machac, Zverev hit 9 aces and committed 4 double faults, winning 78% of his first serves and 71% of his second serves. However, he managed to convert only 4 out of 7 breakpoints.
Popyrin, on the other hand, has shown resilience and determination. His best result this year came at the Qatar Open, where he reached the semifinals. At the Paris Olympics, Popyrin defeated Chile’s Nicolas Jarry in the first round and then overcame Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 in the second round. In that match, Popyrin hit 8 aces and committed just 3 double faults, winning 81% of his service games and 73% of his return games, converting 2 out of 2 breakpoints.
Zverev and Popyrin have faced each other twice before, with Zverev winning both encounters. Their first meeting was in Basel in 2018, where Zverev won 6-4, 6-4. They met again in the 2019 Mexican Open, where Zverev triumphed 6-3, 6-3, hitting 13 aces and committing only 2 double faults.
Given their head-to-head record and current form, Zverev is the favourite to win this match. Both players have powerful serves, but Zverev’s overall game and experience give him an edge. Zverev has hit 524 aces this season compared to Popyrin’s 256, and he has won 90% of his service games in 2024 compared to Popyrin’s 84%.
Popyrin, an aggressive baseliner, will look to use his power and footwork to challenge Zverev. However, Zverev’s consistent play and strong backhand are likely to wear down Popyrin. If Zverev can minimize his unforced errors and capitalize on Popyrin’s weaknesses, he should be able to secure a straight-sets victory.
