Wimbledon 11pm curfew interrupts Zverev's round of 16 match against Lehecka

Zverev showed good form against the Czech. After a shaky start and facing three break points against him, he delivered a focused performance. With a smash, he claimed Lehecka's fifth service game to make it 5:4, and shortly afterward took the first set. With the roof closed, Zverev took advantage of the first opportunity that came his way on the Czech's serve. The Tokyo Olympic champion secured the break for 5:4 and, just a few rallies later, the first set.

Strong performance in the first two sets

In the second set, Zverev again had to fend off two break points but managed to mount a strong comeback. This time it was his opponent's sixth service game in which he converted his second break chance with a powerful backhand at deuce. The 29-year-old then prevented the tiebreak with a love service game. When the Hamburg player had wrapped up the second set 7:5, 97 minutes had been played.

Curiously, Zverev once again had to ward off two break points. This time he held his serve to make it 2:2. At the interruption, the score stood at 3:3. In every set leading up to the suspension, Zverev had faced break points on his own serve but repelled them all.

Time window too tight for the third set

The third set began at 10:30pm local time, leaving only around half an hour to finish the match before 11pm. This window was not enough to complete the set, meaning the duel will resume on Tuesday.

Zverev's potential quarterfinal opponent is already known: Taylor Fritz. The 28-year-old serving giant and world No. 7 from the USA won his round of 16 match 7:6 (7:1), 6:4, 6:4 against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik. Should he advance, his bogeyman Taylor Fritz would be waiting for Zverev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Waiting time for the quarterfinal against Fritz

The fact that Zverev has never reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals at his weakest Grand Slam tournament to date is not a topic within the team, brother Mischa Zverev had said before the match on Prime. "He has known for years that he can play good tennis here," said the 38-year-old. "For the past few years, he has felt better on grass, he plays differently too, and he knows it's only a matter of time. That's why I'm relaxed – this year will be the one."

Zverev, who has never advanced beyond the round of 16 at Wimbledon, thus continues to wait for his first quarterfinal appearance at the grass-court classic. The Royal Box was nearly empty at the start of the match, with Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer sitting alone in row one.

Mischa Zverev remains confident

On Tuesday, the Sauerland native Jan-Lennard Struff will also play the biggest Grand Slam match of his career to date (2pm/Prime Video). The Warstein native faces Italian world No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals. Unlike the other three Grand Slam tournaments, play at Wimbledon does not extend into the early morning hours.

Fritz has had the upper hand against Zverev in their last seven head-to-head meetings, including the 2024 Wimbledon round of 16 and most recently the semifinal in Halle/Westfalen. French Open winner Alexander Zverev thus faces a double challenge: first he must successfully complete the suspended match against Lehecka, and then Fritz, his bogeyman, would be waiting.