[ad_1]
The last Grand Slam tournament of the year is over for Alexander Zverev: against South Tyrol Jannik Sinner, Hamburg had no chance. After the game, the best German spoke about the reasons for his end.
Alexander Zverev’s limbs ached, his head buzzed. “I am completely ill, I can barely breathe and I had a temperature of 38 degrees,” said the best German tennis player in a hoarse voice shortly after his dream of the first Grand Slam title in Paris exploded again. Zverev kept coughing behind his mask at the virtual press conference.
Zverev: “I don’t have the proper Corona symptoms”
Of course, now it will be tested again for Corona, announced the number seven in the world, so far the tests carried out regularly have been negative. The last one apparently took place on September 29, another was still scheduled for Sunday, as reported by a New York Times journalist with reference to the French tennis organizing association FFT. “I think it’s more the weather here. I don’t have the correct Corona symptoms,” Zverev said: “I really hope it’s not like that.”
Shortly before, without his usual power, he barely had a chance against 19-year-old Italian shooting star Jannik Sinner and lost his third place in the French Open quarter-finals with a 3: 6, 3: 6, 6: 4 loss. , 3: 6. “Maybe I shouldn’t have played,” Zverev said: “But somehow I expected a victory in three sets.”
The duel against Nadal is canceled
His big important season with the US Open final and the Australian Open semi-finals ended in disappointment. Overall, he’s definitely on the right track, Zverev said. But he had waited longer for Paris, he wanted to get as close as possible to the coronation in one of the four biggest tennis events and challenge record champion Nadal in the round of 16. Sinner will do that now.
South Tyrol is the first French Open rookie since Nadal in 2005 to reach the round of last eight. Daniel Altmaier (Kempen) can do the same on Monday, Laura Siegemund is also still in the running for the German Tennis Association (DTB). The two defending champions Kevin Krawietz / Andreas Mies have already reached the quarter-finals.
Zverev was noted for his lack of freshness at the start of the match, quickly seeking contact with doctors and receiving a nasal spray. It was hard for him to keep up with Sinner, who “already considers one of the best players in the world.” “With each long rally I felt a burning sensation in my chest,” said Zverev, who, according to his own account, could have caught his physio Hugo Gravil, who was also ill.
Sinner, whom Zverev knows well from several joint training sessions, advanced to the knockout stages without dropping a set and dominated the game with his powerful base shots. “Zverev has to play his best game today,” Becker told Eurosport: “It is not for weak bodies and soft nerves.” Zverev had his chances despite having a weak body, but he couldn’t take advantage of them. Frustrated, he hit the ground with his bat.
Sinner, still 75 in the world rankings with a clear upward trend, impressed with his strength but did not continue to play flawlessly. Zverev had to fight hard for almost every point, often lacking the killer instinct at rallies. And it was visibly pumping. Zverev did not give up, he fought tenaciously and used Sinner’s weak phase late in the third set. But then Sinner changed again and deservedly won.
Altmaier wants to do the same on Monday, who confidently faces a duel with Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta (No. 17) after the victory in three sets against Italian number seven, Matteo Berrettini. “That was just the beginning,” Altmaier said. Siegemund also expects good chances after the coup against Petra Martic (Croatia / No. 13) against Paula Badosa Gilbert (Spain).
