Lob and Smash
Fansided

Around the ATP: 3 big headlines from a post-Grand Slam 2020 season

By Brandon Daniels

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: Reilly Opelka of the United States serves during his Men's Singles first round match against David Goffin of Belgium on Day One of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: Reilly Opelka of the United States serves during his Men's Singles first round match against David Goffin of Belgium on Day One of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
COLOGNE, GERMANY – OCTOBER 15: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Alexander Zverev of Germany looks on during day four of the Bett1Hulks Indoor tennis tournament between Alexander Zverev and Fernando Verdasco at Lanxess Arena on October 15, 2020 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
COLOGNE, GERMANY – OCTOBER 15: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Alexander Zverev of Germany looks on during day four of the Bett1Hulks Indoor tennis tournament between Alexander Zverev and Fernando Verdasco at Lanxess Arena on October 15, 2020 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) /

Bett1HULKS Indoors

Only four seeded players remain in Cologne’s Final 8

It’s been a week of upsets so far in Germany. Both Filip Krajinovic (5th) and Jan-Lennard Struff (7th) lost in their opening-round matches to Steve Johnson and Oscar Otte, respectively. 4th-seeded Benoit Paire lost in the next round to Dennis Novak in straight sets (6-3 6-4) and Marin Cilic (8th) fell in a close three-setter (6-3, (3)6-7, 6-2) to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev and 3rd-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime have played only one match each due to a first-round bye and looked dominant in their straight-set wins. Roberto Bautista Agut (2nd) powered through both of his matches in straight sets, as well, and has his sights set on a semifinal matchup with Auger Liassime providing they both advance past the quarterfinals. The young Canadian has Radu Albot; Bautista Agut will face Hubert Hurkacz for his sport in the semis.

Zverev’s quarterfinal match comes against the tournament’s hottest player: Llyod Harris. The South African qualifier took out Kyle Edmund and Steve Johnson in his opening two matches and will look to achieve a career win against Zverev.

The US Open finalist is attempting to claim his first ATP title since the Geneva Open in 2019. Since then, he’s advanced to the Masters 1000 Shanghai finals (where he lost 6-4 6-1 to Medvedev) and to the US Open this past August.

Home/Tennis News