ATP finals in tennisA weak Zverev failed in the qualifying round of the ATP Finals
Alexander Zverev had to fight hard in the last group match.
Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
In his final against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the German tennis star once again missed too many break opportunities. Therefore, the possibility of a semifinal against the world number 1 player was cancelled.
Alexander Zverev shook his head and looked down in disappointment. The German tennis star failed in the preliminary round of the ATP Finals after experiencing bitter disappointment. The 28-year-old lost his personal final at the end of the group against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 4:6, 6:7 (4:7) and lost his chance to achieve a third victory in the prestigious tournament, at least this year.
“Of course it’s bittersweet to lose the final match of the ATP tour in this way,” tennis icon Boris Becker told Sky: “From a German perspective, it’s frustrating. The second set wasn’t good enough.”
Instead of Zverev, Auger-Aliassime can now compete with world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals on Saturday (20.30/Sky). The 22-year-old Alcaraz won all three of her group matches and is sure to end the year as world No. 1 in tennis. In the second semi-final, defending Italian champion Jannik Sinner is the clear favorite against Australian Alex de Minaur.
Zverev still has the Davis Cup finals remaining
For Zverev, the ATP season which for him was rather weak ended well. He was unable to realize his dream of winning a Grand Slam tournament; he celebrated his only tournament win in April in Munich. Throughout this year, the 2021 Olympic champion has repeatedly experienced physical setbacks, especially his back, which always has problems. He would still end the tennis year as world number three.
But Zverev still has one chance to end the season on a positive note with an important win: the top German wants to lead the DTB team to its first German victory since 1993 at the Davis Cup finals in Bologna next week.
Before the first serve there was a whistle from the audience because the players took too long to enter the court. TV pictures showed Auger-Aliassime waiting for Zverev. “It’s a tense game,” Becker said, “sometimes you like to keep people waiting.”
Like against Sinner: Zverev missed a breakball
Becker sees Zverev as having a sporting “duty” because: “We all expected him to reach the semifinals against Carlos Alcaraz. But the reality is out there.” And that’s what happened in the first sentence: As in his previous match against Sinner, Zverev didn’t capitalize on his chances. He missed two break points, but his opponent got the break to win the set in the German’s first weak service game. This was helped by Zverev’s fatal volley error.
After Zverev missed two more break chances in the second set at 2-2, he had a loud discussion with his box. He then measured his sugar levels on the bench on World Diabetes Day. Zverev has suffered from diabetes since childhood.
At times with great difficulty, Zverev managed to get his serve through, but he was unlucky in the tiebreak – and defeat was assured after 2:07.
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Another incident in the stands
The match was stopped in the first set because another medical incident occurred in the Inalpi Arena stands. The committee later announced that the person was fine. There have previously been three more serious cases at this tournament; two men aged 70 and 78 died in hospital.
