Alexander Zverev missed the final at the ATP Masters in Cincinnati after major physical problems. The completely invalidated Hamburger lost to the Spanish world ranking secondary Carlos Alcaraz 4: 6, 3: 6 in the semi -finals of the hard court tournament. In the final there is now a giant duel between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
A week before the start of the US Open, the 28-year-old had to struggle with the high temperatures and humidity. In the second set, Zverev took a medical timeout at 1: 2 and left the place. After his return, he dragged himself through the rest of the game under recognizable circulatory problems.
Zverev already against Shelton with problems
Zverev had already struggled with breathing problems in the previous match against Ben Shelton, but was able to prevail. “I’m not doing so well at the moment,” Zverev said after the match against Shelton. Germany’s number one stated that he would like to recover a day and hopefully “to be at 100 percent again”, but apparently this did not work.
Alcaraz did not play flawlessly, but consistently used Zverev’s weakness phases and problems. The Spaniard won the last twelve points of the match in series.
Question mark at Zverevs Fitness – a week before the US Open
Zverev, who suffers from diabetes, still stayed on the pitch to the end and even got a break in the second set after the loss of his service. Whenever possible, he sat down and put ice packs on his shoulders. “With me everything revolves”he said in a timeout.
The Hamburgers sometimes had to have the blows of his opponent. Before the last Grand Slam of the year, which begins on August 24th in New York, Zverev now has to find out why his body in the US state of Ohio let him down in two matches.
Alcaraz also felt with the German. Instead of the usual signature, the Spaniard scribbled a greeting and best wishes for the German colleagues on a TV camera. “Suddenly he felt bad and I thought more about how he felt instead of playing good tennis”, said the French Open Champion: “It was hard and I just wish him all the best.”
In the final there is now a giant duel between Alcaraz and the Italian Jannik Sinner – it is the fourth final of the two rivals this year. Sinner had previously beat the French qualifier Terence Atmane and had moved into the final on his 24th birthday.