Preview: Australian Open: Ugo Humbert vs. Alexander Zverev – forecast, head-to-head, tournament so far

Two months after their one-sided Paris Masters final, Ugo Humbert And Alexander Zverev Scramble on Sunday Australian Open Fourth round match in which the Frenchman aims to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time.

Realizing that ambition will be easier said than done against the world No. 2, who hasn’t lost a set en route to another fourth round Down Under.

Game preview

© Imago

Arthur Fils‘s ankle injury during his third-round bout with Humbert meant fans at John Cain Arena were denied a potential thrilling five-set tie hours later Naomi Osaka had to forfeit during their encounter in the third round Belinda Bencic at the same venue – with the French No1 advancing to his first ever fourth round game in Australia.

Both men had fought for two hours and 37 minutes before the exuberant Fils’ effort at Melbourne Park ended prematurely, all in Humbert’s favour.

While cynics would downplay the 14th seeded team’s performance Down Under considering they faced qualifiers in rounds one and two and their first seeded opponent was in the third round in the wars.

The bottom line of the French player’s progress means he has overcome his third-round stupidity at the season’s opening major, having reached a third game at the Slam in 2023 and last year, only to lose there Holger Rune in straight sets two years ago and ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz in 2024.

Progress this year means the 26-year-old has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam outside Wimbledon for the first time (2019 and 2024) and he is looking to make his quarter-final debut by beating one of the pre-tournament favorites defeated.

© Imago

Unless the German’s performance drops significantly, the left-hander will have to raise his level against the runner-up in order to defeat Zverev, who has yet to lose a set heading into the fourth round.

Although third round opponent Jacob Fearnley The 27-year-old broke the world number 2’s serve twice – Zverev saved a total of eight break points in rounds one and two – and the 27-year-old also did it five times to win 6:3, 6: in two hours. 4, 6:4 triumph to secure and two minutes.

That was the second-longest time the two-time Slam finalist, who beat the French wildcard in the first round, spent on court Lucas Pouille lasted two hours and 21 minutes while his second round success was over Pedro Martínez ended six minutes to two hours.

The two-time Aussie Open semi-finalist barely broke a sweat as he faced a seeded opponent for the first time at this year’s tournament, but the evidence of a comfortable victory over Humbert on hostile soil in Paris suggests the 23-time ATP Tour Champion is ahead.

The win on Friday means that the second-placed team moves into its 21st round of 16 game at the Slams and overtakes them Milos RaonicHe has the record of 20 players born since 1990. Such statistics will mean little if he suffers a surprise defeat to Humbert in his fourth game on tour.

Zverev is now four wins away from his first targeted Grand Slam title, but the German number 1 cannot afford to look that far ahead, although the Frenchman goes into Sunday’s competition as the clear favorite.

tournament so far

Ugo Humbert:

First round: vs. Matteo Gigante 7-6(5) 7-5 6-4
Second round: vs. Hady Habib 6-3 6-4 6-4
Third round: eliminated against Arthur Fils 4-6 7-5 6-4 1-0

Alexander Zverev:

First round: against Lucas Pouille 6-4 6-4 6-4
Second round: against Pedro Martinez 6-1 6-4 6-1
Third round: against Jacob Fearnley 6-3 6-4 6-4

Head to head

Paris Masters (2024) – Final: Zverev 6-2 6-2

Paris Masters (2023) – Round of 32: Zverev 6-4 6-7(3) 7-6(5)

Halle (2021) – Round of 16: Humbert 7-6(4) 3-6 6-3

Since his defeat against Humbert at an ATP Tour grass tournament in Halle in 2021, Zverev has defeated the Frenchman twice on home soil at the Paris Masters and secured a 2-1 lead in direct duels.

Four of the French player’s 13 top-10 victories came last year – the most he has managed in a season – although his only Grand Slam success against elite opponents came in defeat at Wimbledon three years ago Casper Ruud in the second round.

Zverev has an impressive win-loss record of 75-31 against left-handed opponents and enters the fourth round on a 27-game winning streak against such opponents, most recently losing to Switzerland Marc Andrea Hüsler in the Davis Cup in February 2023.

We say: Zverev wins in four sets

Hard to bet against Zverev, who has recorded five straight wins and only lost one set in his impressive start to the season Zhang Zhizhen in the United Cup.

Last year’s semi-finalist is promised progress, although Humbert could force a fourth set, but nothing more.

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