Alexander Zverev is bidding to make the Manolo Santana one of the most significant venues of his career. The German beat Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to reach his third Mutua Madrid Open final, where he lifted the trophy in the 2018 and 2021 editions of the event.

The Greek was the last player to outwit Zverev at the Madrid ATP Masters, beating the German in the 2019 quarter-finals. In a match that started on the verge of midnight, in front of a packed stadium, Alexander reaped his revenge.

Zverev’s big hitting continues to be a stumbling block for many in Madrid. Sergi Bruguera’s understudy has won 19 of the 21 matches he has played in the Caja Mágica, making him one of the most solid players on the Madrid clay.

The player from Hamburg has had an impressive week so far on the clay of the Caja Mágica. Leaving opponents such as Marin Cilic, Lorenzo Musetti and Felix Auger-Aliassime in his wake, the world No. 3 has made a convincing case for a third title in front of the Madrid fans.

On Sunday, Zverev will cross paths with #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. The Murcia native has brought the tournament to its knees with a performance of historic proportions, bringing down Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic consecutively to reach the final. Zverev has a 2-0 head-to-head with the Spaniard, who has now consolidated himself as one of the best players in the world.

The German now has an opportunity to become the second man to mount a successful defence of the Mutua Madrid Open crown. In the tournament’s 20-year history, only Rafael Nadal (2013-14) has previously managed to protect his reign in the Spanish capital.