Bankruptcy for tennis star
Seventh defeat in a row: Zverev loses against fearful opponents
June 20, 2026 – 7:21 p.mReading time: 1 min.
In the last four in Halle, Alexander Zverev will meet an old friend. The exit? As usual.
Next defeat against the feared opponent: Alexander Zverev was eliminated in the semi-finals of the grass tournament in Halle/Westphalia. In the end it was 7:6 (7:4), 4:6, 5:7 against the American Taylor Fritz – the German’s seventh defeat in a row against Fritz. French Open winner Zverev visibly struggled with the extreme heat. Fritz explained in the winner’s interview: “It was crazy hot here, I probably felt better than him.”
Zverev started strong and took Fritz’s serve early to make it 2-1. Then he lost his rhythm in the service and received the rebreak to make it 3:3. Fritz scored 13 points in a row during this phase. When the score was 3:4, Zverev left the pitch for a treatment break – a break seemed possible. He returned, finished the first set in a tiebreak and then talked to his father.
Fritz now against Altmaier or Tiafoe
In the second set, Zverev lost his serve at 4:4. The referee had previously canceled his first service because of repeated time delays while blowing his whistle. He also fought his way to 4:4 in the third round – before the decisive break came.
In the final, Fritz will face Daniel Altmaier from Kempen or his compatriot Frances Tiafoe. For Zverev that means the end: Shortly before Wimbledonwhich begins June 29, he continues to wait for his first grass-court title. The Hamburger has repeatedly had problems against Fritz and was most recently able to win at the Masters in Rome in 2024.
