2024-01-27 22:24:00
The fact that deep in the second weeks of Grand Slam tournaments it is often only small things that decide between big victories and bitter defeats is not really new to anyone in the tennis business. Alexander Zverev himself is least likely to be surprised by this finding.
The scoreboard presented a similar scenario back then at 5:4, 30-15 in the fifth set for Zverev and Thiem serving. Thiem then turned a strong first serve into a service winner and hit the forehand down the line twice with full risk to win.
The courage was rewarded a little later.
Zverev: “I will work towards that”
On Friday in Melbourne following the defeat once morest Daniil Medvedev, Zverev recalled this worst defeat three and a half years ago. But he mentioned them in a positive context. That this semi-final day in Melbourne, as bitter as it may seem from the perspective of the Olympic champion, was not a unique opportunity. “I wouldn’t say it was unique. I was two points away from the US Open final,” said Zverev.
He is sure that if he does the right things and does the right work, he will get another chance like this. “Or hopefully I’ll get the chance several times. I’ll work towards that,” added the 26-year-old.
Becker regrets Zverev’s exit: “That hurts a bit”
Alexander Zverev has emphasized several times in recent years that he will remember these moments at the US Open for a very long time. Perhaps these thoughts will no longer be in his head until he lifts one of these four big trophies. Now there is the sixth defeat in a Grand Slam semi-final in the seventh attempt. After the aforementioned US Open final, it is Zverev’s second lost match following leading the set 2-0 (66:2).
Zverev’s record once morest top players is getting better
Zverev was able to improve his record once morest top players in Melbourne. The win once morest Carlos Alcaraz was the third success in the 15th attempt once morest one of the top ten players at a Grand Slam; It was even the first success once morest one of the currently best five players in the world. After the defeat once morest Medvedev, Zverev is now 3:16. Since the US Open 2023, the balance reads much better at 2:2.
A cold cost Zverev energy
This also characterized Zverev in the first two sets once morest Medvedev until, according to his own statements, the effects of a cold prevented Zverev. “After the Alcaraz match I didn’t feel so good, I had a fever tonight. That takes a lot of energy. Then I pulled myself together and my team did a very, very good job getting me on the pitch. But ever The longer the game lasted, the more difficult it became,” explained the sixth in the world rankings.
Semi-final: Zverev blows 2-0 lead once morest Medvedev – highlights
Nevertheless, following Medvedev’s double fault in the tiebreak of the fourth set, Zverev was once once more only two points away from success when the score was 5:4. “At 5:4 he plays a good point. At 5:5 it’s just unfortunate. It wasn’t wanted, a return stop at 210 kilometers per hour. He will admit that too. It’s not rocket science,” explained Zverev.
Zverev was too passive in the tiebreak
If he was right with the second part of his explanation, one has to speak objectively regarding the point at 5:4. Because it’s exactly these tiny little things that matter at this level. Medvedev had indeed played a good point, but only because Zverev let him. After the first serve, Zverev just played the ball in several times until Medvedev took the initiative. Matthias Stach and Boris Becker also criticized this in the Eurosport commentary. This was followed by Medvedev’s failed return and an ace. So it was the luck of the good that helped Medvedev?
In any case, it is clear that at the US Open, as now, Zverev preferred to wait and see rather than act. That is still his nature and it works very well in the decisive moments once morest many players in the world. Until the Alcaraz match at the Australian Open he had a tiebreak record of 5:1. He didn’t win any of the three tiebreaks that followed once morest Alcaraz and Medvedev, suggesting that an even bolder approach is needed once morest the best players in the world in the crucial moments.
Boris Becker nevertheless drew a positive conclusion: “I would rate the whole thing really positively. A year ago we didn’t know whether or how his career would continue. Now he is once once more one of the best in the world and had a huge chance to reach the final of a Grand Slams. That was a really great start to 2024.”
Zverev doesn’t want a mental coach
Some observers would still like to see small adjustments, such as a mental coach at Zverev’s side. Zverev is by no means a mentally bad player. Highly trained sports psychologists are primarily there to tease out nuances in top athletes. Zverev has publicly rejected this idea several times.
What remains is the short-term future. The crazy tennis calendar makes it necessary for Zverev to fight for points for the German Davis Cup team on the other side of the world in Hungary in six days. With the blood blisters from six long Grand Slam matches and the audible cold, a cancellation would be understandable. But Zverev said: “I assume that I will be in Hungary. That’s not a question for me at the moment.”
Distraction among national team colleagues as medicine for Zverev, who really wants to go to the Davis Cup finals this year. This means Zverev might be one of the few top stars who will represent their country next week.
Zverev following semi-final exit: “Wasn’t the same player anymore”
1706398544
#Australian #Open #Alexander #Zverev #future #Grand #Slam #successes #narrow #semifinal #exit
