Tailwind for US Open
Strong Zverev loses high-class tennis marathon
A defeat that gives courage: Tennis professional Alexander Zverev loses the semi-finals of the ATP tournament in Cincinnati, but delivers a strong match against world number one Jannik Sinner. In the end, there are no nuances to reaching the final of the Masters tournament.
Alexander Zverev missed the final at the ATP Masters in Cincinnati. Germany's best tennis professional had to admit defeat in a dramatic and high-class semi-final against world number one Jannik Sinner 6:7 (9:11), 7:5, 6:7 (4:7). Nevertheless, Zverev, who won the 2021 tournament, gained a lot of self-confidence before the US Open, which begins on August 26th.
In the first duel this year with Australian Open winner Sinner, the Hamburg player made a good impression and didn't let the rain interrupt him at the end of the first set. Nevertheless, after more than three hours of play, Sinner triumphed and will face the American Francis Tiafoe in the final on Monday.
Zverev had won all of the last four encounters with Sinner, who had at least briefly become number one in the tennis world by reaching the semi-finals at the French Open. Now the 23-year-old wrestled the German down. In the tiebreak of the first set, which was interrupted by a rain break, he fended off two set points and then delivered his best tennis in the grand finale of a dramatic match.
By reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati, Zverev still gained further courage for the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year. In New York in 2020, he made it to the final of one of the four most important tournaments on the ATP tour for the first time in his career. Despite leading the set 2-0, Zverev lost to the Austrian Dominic Thiem.
Recently, Zverev had to cope with several setbacks and he also appeared to be vulnerable in terms of health. At the Olympic Games in Paris he failed in the quarterfinals after a somewhat erratic performance and then had himself checked out. This was followed by the Masters in Montreal, where it also ended in the round of the best eight. But Zverev apparently felt more comfortable in Cincinnati.
