Hommaker

Zverev outlasts Fils and joined by Sinner in Halle semifinals

HALLE, Germany (AP) — Alexander Zverev was hoping for shorter matches on grass. Think again.
The No. 4-ranked Zverev had to battle back to beat 20-year-old Arthur Fils 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 in 2 1/2 hours on Friday for a spot in the semifinals of the Halle Open.
Zverev, still in search of his first grass-court title, wanted to make quick work of opponents after some marathon sessions at the French Open, where he reached the final.
“After the French Open, I was hoping on grass I would play a bit quicker and not play for two-and-a-half, three hours every single match, but I’m continuing what I always do,” Zverev joked.
The second-seeded Zverev needed three sets to get past qualifier Oscar Otte in the first round, then eliminated Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets.
Zverev, a two-time runner-up in Halle, next faces Hubert Hurkacz, who beat Marcos Giron 7-6 (5), 6-4.
New world No. 1 Jannik Sinner was taken the distance for a third straight match when he overcame Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3).
Struff hit 18 aces and saved 16 of 18 break points but lost to Sinner for the third time this year.
Sinner, who has yet to play a seed, will face Zhang Zhizhen, who beat Christopher Eubanks of the U.S. 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Zhang has become the first Chinese man to reach a tour-level semifinal on grass in the Open era.
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AP tennis:

NEXT: Paxten Aaronson extends contract with Frankfurt through 2027-28, loaned to Utrecht for 2024-25

Paxten Aaronson Extends Contract with Frankfurt Through 2027-28, Loaned to Utrecht for 2024-25 American midfielder Paxten Aaronson has extended his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt through the 2027-28 season and will be loaned to Utrecht in the Netherlands for the 2024-25 season. Aaronson, who turns 21 in August, made his debut with Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union in 2021 and joined Frankfurt in January 2023. He made seven Bundesliga appearances in the second half of the 2022-23 season and seven in the first half of 2023-24, with just one start. He was loaned to Vitesse in the Netherlands on February 1 for the remainder of the past season, where he scored four goals in 14 Eredivisie appearances, all of them starts. He has 22 appearances for Frankfurt in all competitions. Aaronson has one senior appearance for the U.S., in a January 2023 friendly against Colombia. He was part of the recent training camp of the under-23 team preparing for the Olympics. “The loan move to Vitesse Arnhem and the playing time he’s had there has given him a boost, as we hoped,” Frankfurt sporting director Timmo Hardung said in a statement. “For him, it’s now important that he sticks at it and continues to play regularly. In Utrecht, he has a good environment and a good club, where he can take the next step in his development.” Aaronson’s brother, 23-year-old Brenden, is a U.S. national team regular and spent last season on loan from Leeds to Union Berlin. ___ AP soccer:

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