Zverev looks extra special

Tennis Irish OpenThe quarter-finals of the Shelbourne Men's Irish Open Championships at Fitzwilliam yesterday witnessed one of the most talented prospects ever seen at the venue when Germany's Mischa Zverev cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Adam Chadaj of Poland.

Having been overwhelmed by the maturity of Zverev's game, Chadaj rushed off the court looking very dejected. Zverev was as clinical as he had been against top seed Janko Tipsarevic in Wednesday's second-round match. Before arriving here the 18-year-old had won a Futures in Brookfield and now finds himself in the semi-finals of this $50,000 Challenger event.

"Ireland is great for me; a Futures event win and now this in only two weeks," said Zverev with a smile.

The talented left-hander put enormous pressure on his Polish opponent with a incisive serve-and-volley game. Chadaj was overawed by it all and struggled to hold service mainly because of his foot faulting and double-faulting.

Zverev served for the first set after 20 minutes and pocketed it 6-2. Thirty minutes later he was serving for the match. Chadaj could salvage only one point in the last two games.

Zverev was ranked number two in the world at under-18 level two seasons ago and he also played and won European Championships at junior level.

Italy's Uros Vico dismantled the challenge of his Swedish opponent Jacob Adaktusson with a dominant serve and volley game. "His service game was far too good for me," said the Swede after the defeat.

Also through to the semi-finals is Britain's Richard Bloomfield, but he was given a testing time by Denmark's Frederik Nielsen before scrambling through 7-6 (7-1), 2-6, 7-5.

Details: C Fleming and J Murray (Brit) bt J Bachelot and N Tourte (Fra) 6-2, 4-6, 10-8; J Smit and M Van Haasteren (Ned) bt J Adaktusson and J Marray 6-2, 7-5; M Zverev (Ger) bt A Chadaj (Pol) 6-2, 6-2; U Vico (Ita) bt J Adaktusson (Swed) 6-4, 6-3; R Bloomfield (Brit) bt F Nielsen (Den) 7-6 (7-1), 2-6, 7-5; K Pless (Den) bt A Mackin (Brit) 6-4, 6-4.