Zizou Bergs is through to an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal for the very first time in his career after beating Canadian player Gabriel Diallo at the Shanghai Masters.
Next up for the Belgian could be a match against Novak Djokovic, with the player set to face the winner of his match against Jaume Munar.
Bergs has been threatening to reach this point of an ATP Masters 1000 event during his career and he’s beaten Casper Ruud, Francisco Cerundolo and Seb Korda to get to the quarterfinal for the first time in his career.
What Gabriel Diallo did that really impressed Zizou Bergs
The Canadian player had two match points in the final set tie-breaker, and he will need to dissect this one and work out what on earth went wrong.
Bergs was full of praise for Diallo after the match, with the player admitting there was something he did that he simply wasn’t ready for.
He said in his post-match press conference: “Because Gabriel played amazing tennis. He took me straight away. He was really aggressive toward me. I didn’t have really much time, I really had to try to adapt a little to the rhythm. I wasn’t ready for that. I tried to manage that.
“I think at the beginning of the second, I really got there. I found some rhythm, especially on the serve, because he was serving amazing. Happy I got through it.”
Bergs pays tribute to unsung heroes at the Shanghai Masters
Several players have pulled out or retired at this tournament, with the heat and humidity wreaking havoc on the players and their fitness levels.
Tallon Griekspoor hailed Jannik Sinner after he was forced to retire with severe cramping during his match with the Dutchman over the weekend.
Now, Bergs has been quizzed on the conditions, which he coped very well with – and he believes there are a group of people who are proving to be unsung heroes at the event.
The Belgian continued: “I mean, it’s definitely better. Two days ago, it was just absolutely brutal. But the other days are not easy either. I feel like you get used to it a little bit. It’s still tough today outside, you still sweat a lot. I’m right here, standing in a swimming pool.
“But, no, I was also explaining, I think as tennis players, it’s obviously not easy, but look at the ball boys and ball girls. They’re doing an amazing job. I really feel sorry for them. We get an opportunity to drink during changeovers and they don’t. I feel really bad for them, but I’m also really happy that nothing is happening to them.”
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