Shanghai has always been a special place for Alexander Zverev. The German powerhouse returns to the prestigious Shanghai Masters this week, a tournament where he boasts a strong history, including a runner-up finish in 2019. This familiarity with the venue, coupled with a renewed sense of optimism, fuels Zverev’s belief that he can make a significant impact.

“this is a place where I’ve had a lot of success,” Zverev stated, reflecting on his past performances. “I’ve reached the finals here, and another semi-final. That tells me it’s a court where I can play my best tennis, and I’m ready to put in the hard work this week to make it happen.”

Zverev’s record at the Shanghai Masters is extraordinary. in his six main draw appearances, he’s reached the semi-finals twice. His most notable run came in the 2019 edition, where he battled his way to the final before falling to the formidable Daniil Medvedev. Prior to that,in 2018,Zverev met another tennis titan,Novak Djokovic,in the semi-finals. These deep runs underscore his capability on this specific stage.

Though, the last two editions haven’t mirrored his earlier successes, with Zverev exiting in the second or fourth round. This dip in performance is somthing he’s keen to reverse.

His most recent outing before arriving in Shanghai was at the China Open in Beijing. While he showed flashes of his talent, his campaign ended in the quarterfinals with a straight-sets defeat to Medvedev, 6-3, 6-3. despite this, Zverev remains upbeat about his overall form as the season winds down.

“To be honest, if I think about this part of the season, which is already coming to an end, the first word with which I would describe it is tiredness,” Zverev admitted with a chuckle.”But that’s normal. We’ve had a very extensive calendar. This is by no means an excuse, though. We’re at one of the most crucial tournaments in the world, a Masters 1000 event, where all players dream of playing their best tennis. Every player works to achieve their goals, so I’m no different. I’d like to play at a high level here, and I’m hoping to achieve that and continue to build good form.”

This season has seen Zverev face considerable scrutiny for not securing a major title. A significant factor contributing to his struggles on court has been a persistent back injury. Zverev has been open about the challenges this has presented.

“It’s hard,” Zverev confessed. “From the training sessions, I can unluckily not train too much because this problem demands more calm than usual.It’