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WATCH: Alexander Zverev Spars with Stefanos Tsitsipas at ATP Rotterdam 2021 Practice

Published 03/01/2021, 5:30 AM EST

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via Reuters

They are among the top draws at the ATP Rotterdam or the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament and if their first practice sessions together is anything to go by, German Alexander Zverev and his Greek rival Stefanos Tsitsipas look fiercely motivated and switched on to go all the way.

Sports broadcasting giant ESPN has teased a short video on its Instagram page showing the Greek World Number 6 in a practice session with the German, who is placed one just spot lower in the ATP standings.

Broadcast giant shares video of Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas practicing together ahead of ATP Rotterdam 2021

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The footage shows the German whipping his signature forehands and backhands and the Greek responding with his trademark shots.

It’s an intense session by the looks of it as one could even pick up Zverev’s grunts as he goes into his shots.

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While the tournament opens on Monday, the qualifiers have been on since February 27.

Zverev will launch his campaign against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan on Tuesday, while Tsitsipas will play his tournament opener against Belarussian Egor Gerasimov.

The calendar ATP event is structured in a way that the main draw opens at the round-of-32 stage.

Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will go into the tournament determined to lift their first Tour title of 2021

Both Zverev and Tsitsipas will be going into the tournament with the hurt of not being able to go all the way at the Australian Open and will be determined to lift their first Tour title this year in the Dutch city.

The World Number 6 was routed in semifinals at Melbourne Park by eventual losing finalist Daniil Medvedev, while Zverev fell to a four-set defeat to top-seed Novak Djokovic, the champion this year.

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via Reuters

Tsitsipas would set up a quarter-final date with three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka if he goes past his Round-1 opponent on Tuesday.

The Swiss World Number 20 will open his campaign with a tough battle against unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov.

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Alexander Zverev Engages in an Eco-Friendly Collaboration Ahead of Australian Open 2021

The last meeting between the Greek and the veteran Swiss produced a battle for the ages, in Round-4 at 2019 French Open, with Wawrinka coming out on the winning side of a grueling, nerve-jangling five-setter.

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Written by:

Priyabrata Chowdhury

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Priyabrata Chowdhury is a tennis author for EssentiallySports. He has been a print journalist for a decade, producing news pages for leading national dailies such as the Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express. His passion for sports eventually drove him to tennis writing.
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