In a stunning upset at the Shanghai Masters, the world’s third-ranked player, Alexander Zverev, was eliminated in the third round by France’s Arthur Rinderknech. Zverev, considered the top favorite for the title in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, faltered against the 54th-ranked Rinderknech, losing in a hard-fought match that lasted over two hours.
The German star, a seven-time M1000 champion, started strong, breaking Rinderknech’s serve early in the first set. Though, Rinderknech staged a remarkable comeback, displaying a vastly improved game in the second set. He unleashed his full arsenal of shots, ultimately securing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.
This unexpected defeat comes on the heels of Zverev’s controversial remarks regarding the ATP Tour’s court conditions, which he suggested were manipulated to favor players like Alcaraz and Sinner. The German struggled to find his rhythm on the Shanghai courts, failing to advance as far as many anticipated. This loss also prevented him from seeking redemption for his 2019 final defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the same tournament.
Zverev’s recent performances have been inconsistent. He suffered a straight-sets loss to Medvedev in the Beijing ATP 500 event and, despite showing flashes of brilliance in Shanghai, his form dipped substantially against an inspired rinderknech. This marks Rinderknech’s second career victory over a Top 5 opponent, both against Zverev, including a previous triumph at Wimbledon.
Rinderknech, who has yet to win a professional title, delivered a stellar performance, hitting 38 winners against 23 unforced errors. He dominated on his first serve, winning 74% of those points, and was notably effective at the net, converting 24 out of 30 opportunities to secure his spot in the round of 16.
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