Tennis Olympic champion Alexander Zverev is still looking for his old class after his severe ankle injury last June.
The former world number two from Hamburg lost at the ATP tournament in Rotterdam in the round of 16 with 6: 4, 3: 6, 4: 6 against the Dutch local hero Tallon Griekspoor. It was Zverev’s fifth defeat in the seventh match of the year.
Zverev controlled the first set without shining. Griekspoor then turned it up, and Zverev had neck problems that put the world number 17. when the score was 4-1 in the second set, prompted them to seek treatment.
In the deciding set, Zverev gave up his serve after a double fault to make it 3: 4 and couldn’t find his way back against the now very determined number 61 in the world.