ATP Finals London: Alexander Zverev - up and down, again and again
Alexander Zverev suffered a defeat at the ATP Finals against Stefanos Tsitsipas after his great performance against Rafael Nadal in the second match. Symptomatic for a season with many ups and downs.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit:
Nov 14, 2019, 06:22 pm
As Alexander Zverev sneaked out of the O2 arena on Wednesday, this evening of London was perfect for his 2019 tennis season. The picture was confusing, contradictory, ambiguous. In the first group match Zverev had celebrated a brilliant, almost flawless two-set win against world ranking first-team Rafael Nadal, now, after a smooth 3: 6, 2: 6 elimination against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, he was in his seemingly eternal Roller coaster ride only once again arrived near the ground.
A triumph, a bitter setback, a quick World Cup elation, a frustrating experience - London felt like everywhere else for the 22-year-old from Hamburg, who in the last few weeks and months repeatedly sought consistency and consistency in his workplace. And this search also extended to the very last mandatory appearance in London. "Nevertheless, I am optimistic about the last group match. The good thing is: I have it in my own hands. I can stay even longer in this tournament, "said Zverev, who has to play against Russian Daniil Medvedev on Friday, the previous climber of the year.
Allegations against Zverev
Zverev's 2019 season was marked by turbulence, disputes and disagreements outside the course - there was a constant commotion in the set theater, which of course also had an effect on what was happening on the center courts. Meanwhile, Zverev fights back more against his real opponents than against himself and the (conquered) burdens in the environment, but without excitement, it does not go off in London. Almost symptomatically, the German had to defend against allegations after the rebuff against fellow generation Tsitsipas at once, he may have received on a mobile phone in his tennis bag any hints from his team.
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TV scenes suggested that Zverev had seen him making hand movements in his pocket, similar to operating a cell phone. However, a crossfade of the television picture with the current game result prevented a close look. He did not know what was observed there, he said, "my cell phone was not. I left that in the cabin. "If Zverev had actually been caught using a mobile phone, he would have had to fear painful sanctions.
Against Medvedev must be a victory
Zverev's view of the 2019 season may change dramatically in the next few days - or simply stay as it has been so far: as a view of fluctuating performances, on more depths than heights just in the Grand Slams. He should win against Medvedev, the 23-year-old Muscovite, in order to avoid all sorts of computer games. In theory, he could lose after the Kalkukationen in the higher world mathematics, when the second group match on Friday between Tsitsipas and Nadal delivers the desired result. If Zverev stays in the tournament in any case, everything is possible, up to a surprise coup as in the previous year - at that time he had defeated Federer and Djokovic one after the other on the final weekend, a little to their own amazement.
As far as the defending champion can not and still does not think, Medvedev remains for him beyond all vague hopes for a stormy happy ending first the big challenge, the US Open finalist as incalculable cantonist as he, as Zverev. Recently, at the ATP Masters in Shanghai, Zverev did not have the slightest chance in the final against the Russian. It was the first defeat in the fifth direct comparison. On Wednesday, Medvedev had witnessed a memorable Center Court blackout on the London World Cup stage when he lost a 5-1 lead with a match ball in the third set against Nadal. "He will want to win all the more in the last game. He can also come to the semi-finals, "said Zverev," it's just an all-or-nothing game. "