Nfter his knockout round at the ATP tournament in Monte Carlo, Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev described his Russian opponent Daniil Medvedev as “one of the most unfair players in the world”. “I take fairness and sportsmanship very, very seriously. Unfortunately he doesn’t have any of that,” said Zverev after the bitter 6: 3, 5: 7, 6: 7 (7: 9) defeat after more than three hours at Sky.
On Thursday evening, in front of his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla, Zverev served twice to win the match: 5: 4 in the second and third set. But Medvedev fended off two match points in the decisive tie-break and advanced to the quarter-finals. From the point of view of the 25-year-old from Hamburg, also with partly unfair means: When the score was 5: 4 for Zverev in the second set, the Russian removed the net post when going to his bench and put it on the pitch, he was not warned for it.
“That’s totally my fault too”
“He tries to do everything when he’s behind. I’m extremely disappointed about that as an athlete,” said Zverev, also in relation to this scene. At 4: 3 in the third set for Zverev, the Russian took a toilet break “where there are none anymore. There are a thousand situations where he has the feeling that I’ve started to play better and where he tries to do something every time,” said Zverev, who also considered the former US Open winner Medvedev to be one of the best players designated to the world.
At the same time he practiced self-criticism. “Of course you can argue that I shouldn’t let that distract me. That’s also completely my fault, that was really bad of me today. But still, I think fairness in sport should always be a part of it.”
Both would have an “incredible rivalry” – similar to former world number ones Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. “But one of the reasons Roger and Rafa were so popular and the rivalry was appreciated all over the world was because they were always fair to each other. Unfortunately, you can’t say that about him and that’s a real shame for me as an athlete,” said Zverev after the eighth defeat in the 14th comparison.
Zverev, who was injured for a long time, also drew positive things from his first real endurance test on sand: “It was a great match. But of course I want to start winning matches like this again.” Mischa Zverev sees his younger brother Alexander on the best way back to the top tennis world even after the bitter end. “He arrived. All he has to do is open the door,” said the 35-year-old in Munich on Friday. “He plays really good tennis. The punches are there, he moves well,” said Mischa Zverev.
On Thursday evening, Zverev served twice to win the match. “If you have match point on your own serve, you should do it,” said Mischa Zverev. He didn’t want to overstate the Russian’s actions, which his brother described as unfair after the game. “Sure, you can say there were actions. One didn’t find it good, the other found it amusing and exciting,” said Mischa Zverev.
Alexander Zverev is now fully focused on Munich, as his brother revealed. The clay court tournament at the Iphitos facility takes place from April 17th to 23rd. The field of participants in the 107th edition is possibly the strongest in the history of the tournament “in terms of names and charisma”, as tournament director Patrik Kühnen said on Friday. In addition to Olympic champion Zverev, the two top ten players Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz as well as Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini will fight for the title. The former US Open winner Dominic Thiem also serves in Munich.
