Shaking from the couch
Zverev loses and makes a confident promise
November 2, 2023, 9:28 p.m
For Alexander Zverev it’s over in Paris in the round of 16. Weaknesses with the forehand rob him of all hopes against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The chances of taking part in the ATP finals in Turin are still good. However, the form varies greatly.
Alexander Zverev tore off his hairband and congratulated Stefanos Tsitsipas at the net. “See you in Turin,” the German tennis star said very confidently to his Greek opponent after his narrow exit in the round of 16 in Paris – although Zverev’s participation in the ATP Finals in around two weeks is not yet perfect. Despite the early elimination in the French capital, the chances of taking part in the season finale are good.
But after the 6:7 (2:7), 4:6 against Tsitsipas, Zverev has to hope from the couch that his competitors make a mistake and that he can be there at the prestigious end of the year in Italy from November 13th to 20th. In the “Race to Turin”, Boris Becker’s protégé Holger Rune (Denmark) and Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) and Alex De Minaur (Australia), who have already qualified for the quarter-finals in Paris, can overtake Hamburg, who is currently in seventh place.
Tsitsipas, on the other hand, has already secured his starting place in Turin. Zverev’s record remains modest against the two-time Grand Slam finalist from Greece, who appears to be increasingly overcoming his weaker phase. There are now four wins compared to nine defeats. The German had problems with his forehand again in Paris, Tsitsipas played more consistently and secured the first round after 1:11 hours. Zverev got off to a bad start in the second set, the Hamburg player immediately conceded the break and fell behind. After 1:58 minutes, Tsitsipas used his third match point to win.
Zverev had already shown himself to be far from his best in the previous rounds. It was only on Wednesday that the Hamburg native needed 3:29 hours to defeat local hero Ugo Humbert. Daniel Altmaier, however, will still be challenged in Paris in the evening – and could provide Zverev with valuable help with a win in the round of 16 against Rune on the way to Turin. Zverev triumphed at the ATP Finals in London in 2018 and in Turin in 2021. Whether he gets another chance is no longer in his hands.