Alexander Zverev says he feels like he can "do quite a lot of damage" with the way he is playing after reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The world number two is seeking his maiden grand slam title and is into the last eight in Melbourne for the fourth time as he aims to reach a first final at the tournament.

For the first time at the Australian Open this year, Zverev dropped a set but rallied to beat Ugo Humbert 6-1 2-6 6-3 6-2 to reach his 14th grand slam quarter-final.

He won six straight games in the first set to nose in front and rallied after Humbert's impressive second-set showing to cruise through the next two, converting six of 16 break points along the way.

In doing so, Zverev has also equalled Tommy Haas (105) for the second-most wins amongst Germans in grand slam men's singles during the Open Era, with only Boris Becker (163) winning more.

Asked if he thought this could be his tournament, Zverev admitted that while he is happy with the tennis he is playing, he still faced stiff competition ahead.

"I feel like everybody who's at this stage is playing well, right?" he said. "I think everybody who is in the quarter-final of a grand slam, semi-final of a grand slam, deserves to be there.

"There's no easy pathway to get there. Yes, sometimes the draw opens up a little bit more. Sometimes some players lose that aren't comfortable for you. To be at this stage, you have to be playing great tennis.

"In my mind, yeah, I know I'm playing quite well. I feel that on the court. I feel like I can do quite a lot of damage when I feel like this. But the opponents are the same way.

"They're in the quarter-final of a grand slam. They do feel like they deserve to be there, as well. I think from now onwards is only going to be tough battles."

Zverev will face Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals after the American dropped just three games in his straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich earlier on Sunday.

Only Stefan Edberg (two, against Roberto Seguso in 1987) has dropped fewer games in a completed round of 16 at the Australian Open in the Open Era than Paul in his 6-1 6-1 6-1 win.

He is also the youngest American player to reach his second men's singles quarter-final at the Australian Open since Andy Roddick in 2004, having previously reached the semi-finals in 2023.

That was his best performance at a grand slam, and he is hoping to draw on lessons from that experience, and his run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year, to help him get past Zverev in the next round.

"I would say just like taking care of your body is so important," he said. "You want to go on the court for these three-out-of-five set matches willing, and able, to play five.

"I mean, I always put extra emphasis on the third set in three-out-of-five set matches. It's such an important set. Whether you're up two sets to love, whether it's a set apiece or you're down two sets, that third set is huge.

"But, for me, I think staying physical from the first point of the match to the last point of the match is huge. That's what gives me a bit of an edge."