Alexander Zverev will play in his fifth quarter-final at the ATP 500 in Beijing. World no. 3 faced Corentin Moutet in the second round and scored a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and 38 minutes.
The Frenchman gave everything to challenge the better-ranked opponent, winningfive points more but falling in the pivotal moments. Both players generated nine break points.
Alexander saved six and moved over the top with four return games on his tally in sets one and three. Moutet stepped in and landed 40 winners and 38 unforced errors.
The lower-ranked player had the upper hand from the baseline, but the German responded in service winners and at the net. They fought for an hour in the opening set. Zverev denied three break points in the fourth game of the opening set.
Corentin squandered game points at 2-2 and fell on the second break point after the rival's strong backhand attack. The German served for the set at 5-4 and experienced a break after the Frenchman's forehand return winner.
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However, a left-hander missed a forehand in the 11th game to lose serve and fall behind. Moutet stayed composed and landed a forehand down the line winner at 5-6 to generate three break points.
Alexander saved them and landed a smash winner on a set point to wrap up the opener 7-5 in an hour. They served well in the opening five games of the second set to stay neck and neck.
Moutet attacked on the return at 3-2 and fired a forehand crosscourt winner for a break at 15. A left-hander held at love in game seven for 5-2 and served for the set in game nine.
He squandered set points and faced a break point. Corentin saved it with a service winner and held with a forced error to take the set 6-3 and introduce a decider after an hour and 42 minutes.
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Zverev hit a double fault at the beginning of the third set to experience a break. He pulled it back in game two after a poor drop shot from his opponent. Alexander claimed an extended rally in the sixth game for another break and a 4-2 lead.
World no. 3 held at 30 in the seventh game for 5-2 and served for the win in game nine. The German seized a match point with a smash winner, moving over the top and setting the quarter-final duel against Daniil Medvedev.
