Alexander Zverev is struggling with health problems at the ATP tournament in Beijing. Games scheduled late at night cause additional trouble before the quarter-finals on Monday.
When it comes to late shifts, Alexander Zverev is used to a lot of grief – but in Beijing it became too colorful for the Olympic champion: “I don’t know if that always has to be the case. It’s difficult to play until early in the morning,” he said after his round of 16 victory annoyed by the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – the clock just showed 2:35. “All I know is that I’m very tired now and feel a bit under the weather.”
Not a good prerequisite for the quarter-finals against the strong Chilean Nicolas Jarry on Monday. A week after his tournament victory in Chengdu, a lot of things are coming together for Zverev in the hunt for his 22nd ATP title: In his first round match against Diego Schwartzman, his stomach rebelled, the Hamburg native had to vomit and still fought on – that followed two days later the sleepless night.
It was not certain “whether that was the right decision,” said Zverev after the round of 16. “We should have played on a different court and not waited until midnight to start the match.”
Not a new experience for Alexander Zverev
The organizer had obviously previously had a different opinion and insisted on scheduling the event in the largest stadium, the “Diamond Court”. A questionable decision, even when looking at the stands. When Zverev let the audience “celebrate” his victory, only a few dozen spectators could be seen in the stands and presented a sad sight.
The fact that the majority of fans fled to bed for a long time while Zverev went about his work is not a new experience for the 26-year-old. On the contrary: whether at the French Open in Paris or the US Open in New York – this season he always had to work at night, and he always didn’t get to bed before the morning hours.
He had already discovered in Paris that it wasn’t really healthy. At the strong tournament in Beijing, the ailing Zverev still wants to continue defying the odds. In the semi-finals a prestigious duel with long-term rival Daniil Medvedev awaits.