Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas - no big friends
Alexander Zverev will meet Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid (live from 7:30 p.m. on Sky and in our live scores). The balance against the Greek is balanced.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: May 10, 2019, 03:50 pm
Alexander Zverev says it as is. He didn't just do that last week in Munich when the German number one frankly provided information about his various construction sites such as the situation with manager Patricio Apey, the separation from his girlfriend and the absence of his father. In the summer of 2018, Zverev also spoke openly to everyone who likes to listen to him: The 22-year-old, after his defeat against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto, accordingly said that he actually would not have played very well. He, Zverev, would have given the victory away.
How this has arrived with the Greeks, who are also endowed with a shaken degree of self-confidence, is apt to speculate. Tsitsipas cultivates an intimate hostility to Daniil Medvedev, perhaps also because he has so far been unable to playfully harm the Russian. Against Zverev, whom the man from Athens meets today at 7:30 p.m. at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid (live on Sky and in our match tracker).
Tsitsipas with second tournament victory
Zverev retired David Ferrer on Wednesday, having a tough time against Hubert Hurkacz in the round of 16. Born in Hamburg, he acted too passively over long distances, Hurkacz did his opponent several favors in the crucial situations, sometimes producing astonishing mistakes. And after the game, he had to ask himself how he couldn't make a break lead twice after winning the first set.
Tsitsipas had surprisingly few problems with Fernando Verdasco on Thursday, as did Adrian Mannarino before. Last week the 20-year-old won his first title on sand in Estoril, the third overall in his career after Stockholm 2018 and Marseille 2019. In the annual ranking, the Race to London, Stefanos Tsitsipas is fourth ahead of Dominic Thiem . Alexander Zverev was only in 20th position before the tournament in Madrid.
A few days ago, Alexander Zverev again confirmed that things are not going well between the two, albeit very subtly: when asked who from the young guard is most likely to trust him to win one of the big tournaments, Zverev replied without hesitation: "The two Canadians." Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime are classified far behind Stefanos Tsitsipas in the ATP charts. By the way, who is currently also managed by Patricio Apey - but reportedly also wants to end the business relationship with the Chilean as soon as possible.