June 20, (THEWILL) – Alexander Zverev battled through sudden illness to reach the Halle Open semi-finals on Friday, defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-4 7-6(8) in dramatic circumstances.
The German second seed was forced to sprint from the court mid-match to vomit, leaving spectators stunned during what <
Than a dozen times code>appeared to be a routine quarter-final encounter.
The 27-year-old started strongly, breaking serve in the opening game before his condition deteriorated rapidly whilst serving in the second game.
Zverev requested an emergency toilet break and rushed down the tunnel, visibly distressed.
Upon his return, the world number four appeared weakened, bending over in exhaustion after points and struggling for breath during extended rallies.
“I felt fine before the match. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I felt bad,” Zverev explained after the victory.
He added, “I felt ill, went to throw up, and then 15 minutes later I felt OK again. I don’t know what it was, I’ve never experienced that before.”
Despite his physical struggles, the German gradually recovered his composure, firing his first ace on set point to claim the opener.
The second set proved more competitive, with Cobolli capitalising on his opponent’s weakened state through superior court movement.
However, Zverev’s experience proved decisive in a tight tiebreak, completing the match with 22 winners and 12 successful net approaches.
His semifinal opponent will be Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev, who holds a commanding 12-7 head-to-head record and has won their last three encounters.
Medvedev advanced with a straightforward 6-4 6-3 victory over American Alex Michelsen, though the Russian also faced medical issues after suffering a nosebleed in the second set.
The 2021 Halle runner-up denied his opponent any break point opportunities and completed the match in 85 minutes, attributing the main challenge to difficult shadow conditions on the court rather than his opponent’s resistance.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
