By Shrivathsa Sridhar
LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Alexander Zverev cleared one of the biggest hurdles in his bid for the Wimbledon title by snapping a lengthy losing run against Taylor Fritz with a 6-4 6-4 6-2 win to make the semi-finals and stay on track for back-to-back Grand Slam triumphs.
Having come up short in his last seven clashes with Fritz, including at the All England Club in 2024, French Open champion Zverev finally turned the tables with an assured display for a last-four meeting with Arthur
Fery, who beat Flavio Cobolli.
The German second seed rode an early break to a 5-4 lead and let out a roar of relief after fending off a late fightback from Fritz in the 10th game to win the opening set under the blazing sun on Court One.
Zverev turned up the heat again in the next set after Fritz received a medical timeout for a niggling right knee issue after three games, and the 29-year-old celebrated emphatically after seizing a crucial break that left his opponent on the ropes.
The crowd erupted in cheers a few moments later when news trickled in that Briton Fery had gone ahead two sets to love on Centre Court and Zverev soon followed suit with a comfortable hold to move further clear as Fritz's hopes began to fade.
Zverev hit a scintillating backhand winner to seal a double break at 4-1 in the third set, which he closed out with minimum fuss to reach his maiden semi-final at the grasscourt major and 12th overall.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in London; Editing by Alison Williams)
