Alexander Zverev failed after a thrilling duel in the round of 16 at Indian Wells. The trend for the Olympic champion is still positive.
by SID
last edited: 03/15/2023, 19:34
Alexander Zverev worriedly bent over Daniil Medvedev’s ankle and trembled with his opponent for a moment. In a high-class round of 16 at the Indian Wells Masters, the former world number one twisted in the middle of the second set – for Zverev it was deja vu that influenced the decision in the Californian desert.
Surprisingly, however, not in favor of Zverev, who had to admit defeat after 3:17 hours of play 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 7 (5: 7), 5: 7. He played big at times, was dominant and proved once again that he has now overcome the consequences of his months-long injury break and can keep up with world-class opponents again. “I’m not interested in anything, I lost,” said Zverev frustrated to the Süddeutsche Zeitung after the game.
Zverev misses opportunities
After the longer break, the top German player was no longer able to follow through with his initially well-functioning match plan, which envisaged an aggressive game with many net attacks. Medvedev now went for faster point gains with a bandaged ankle and used his chances more consistently than Zverev.
“I understand how frustrating it was for the opponent,” said Medvedev, who won his 17th match in a row and remains the player of the moment on the tour: “But I didn’t fake anything. I’ll have a scan done and see if I can continue.”
Zverev draws hope
For Zverev, it’s definitely over in Indian Wells, which remains a difficult place for him. With seven appearances in the main draw, it was only enough for the quarterfinals on the slow hard court in 2021. In Miami, Zverev’s next Masters station starting next week, he reached the final in 2018.
The 25-year-old wants to play the title matches as regularly as before his severe injury last year, when he twisted his ankle in the semi-finals of the French Open and then had to be operated on. “Win. Not just games, but tournaments” is the goal. Recent performances should make him hopeful.
Zverev wants to return to the sporting limelight and at the same time also gives TV teams increasing insights into his world. On March 19, “Zverev – The Unfinished” goes live on RTL Plus. And in the California desert, a Netflix team also accompanied him for the next season of the series “Break Point”. He would like to present himself as the winner.
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