“As if the girlfriend breaks up”
:
Zverev leaves New York disappointed again
–
23 pictures This is Alexander Zverev
Photo: AFP/VINCENZO PINTO
–
–
New York Again, it was nothing with Alexander Zverev’s first Grand Slam title. At the US Open he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. A statistic continues to hurt him – and the competition moves up.
Alexander Zverev brooded. The downcast Olympic champion was looking for a suitable comparison to describe his emotional world. “It is as if the friend you have loved for years breaks up with you,” he said then and had to smile a little himself.
–
It was the only moment after the semi-finals at the US Open against Novak Djokovic that Zverev’s mouth turned upwards. Otherwise there was only disappointment and frustration. Once again, the 24-year-old from Hamburg failed in an attempt to win his first Grand Slam title.
–
Zverev had run for three and a half hours in a gripping duel, punched the ball into half of his opponent with irrepressible power, never gave up and forced a fifth set with great morale. At the end of the tournament in New York he was still empty-handed and again not with a major trophy in hand.
–
“I think mentally he is the best player who has ever played the game,” Zverev had to admit after the 6: 4, 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 4, 2: 6 defeat that the final between Djokovic and the Russian Daniil Medvedev had sealed on late Sunday evening (10 p.m. / Eurosport).
–
It was a defeat that hurts, but that Zverev will “cope with”, his brother Mischa is sure of that. “Sascha will come back stronger and take his first win next year,” he said at Eurosport. Boris Becker, who remains the only German winner in New York (1989), warned of the upcoming competition: “The young generation is not sleeping.”
–
;)
–
14 pictures The men’s tennis world rankings
Photo: AFP/JOHN DONEGAN
–
–
Zverev was pushed by a 16-match winning streak and the knowledge from Tokyo to beat Djokovic, went into the duel of the world number four against the number one of the ATP. And the game kept everything that the 21,139 spectators in the stadium and millions in front of the TV sets had promised. But last year’s finalist only received compliments that he has not wanted to hear for a long time.
–
And he will also be presented with statistics that he has not wanted to see for a long time. Zverev has competed eleven times in Grand Slams against opponents from the top ten and has lost eleven times. There is always a bit missing. That was already the case in the US Open final of 2020 against Dominic Thiem, when he was only two points away from the coup. This also applied again to the match against Djokovic, which the achievement of historical records was particularly encouraging.
–
Again, it was not enough for a shift in the balance of power in Zverev’s direction, who played big at times, but ultimately had to accept his inferiority. “In the most important moments, he suddenly becomes a wall. He’s the best player in the world for a reason,” said Zverev, praising his conqueror.
–
Here is the photo gallery: This is Alexander Zverev
–
– .
