Tennis Grand Slam - Zverev 2:0 set lead not enough - his Wimbledon curse continues
Alexander Zverev looked resigned as he sat down again during the last changeover and shook his head. His dream of winning Wimbledon was over just minutes later, despite a 2:0 set lead against American Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals.
With a bandage on his knee, the great German title hopeful failed with a 6:4, 7:6 (7:4), 4:6, 6:7 (3:7), 3:6 and left the Centre Court stage with a downcast head. His quarterfinal debut at the significant grass Grand Slam tournament once again fell short.
Zverev Plays Through Pain
"Alex wasn't moving as well in the fifth set," Fritz said in the winner's interview: "I just wish him the best. It was incredible to make it here on Centre Court at Wimbledon with this atmosphere. It was like a dream. Despite being 0:2 sets behind, I played really well." Fritz now has the big semifinal chance against the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, which Zverev had hoped to grab.
Two games long, Zverev looked like the sure winner, but then the match turned. One month after his dramatically lost French Open final, the native of Hamburg gave up his claims much too early and had to postpone the hunt for his first Grand Slam title. "He gave the impression that he wasn't 100 percent fit," former Wimbledon winner Stich on Amazon Prime commented: "In the end, Taylor Fritz held his level and raised it. Zverev's level was a little off."
Zverev Becomes Increasingly Defensive
Two games long, Zverev was the better player whenever it mattered. Because he acted consistently, he decided the tiebreak and the second set for himself. Then Zverev fell back, made more mistakes – and suffered the first double fault in the tournament to lose the third set at 4:5.
Sovereignty was gone, Zverev looked wobbly. At the beginning of the fourth set, the Northerner received a warning for taking too much time on serve. The American improved, dominated the rallies more and more.
Despite his newfound love for the grass, the Wimbledon curse continues for him. The French Open finalist of 2021 and US Open finalist of 2020 always leaves the Grand Slam tournament on grass at the earliest in the quarterfinals.
In the midst of this year's International Tennis calendar, Germany's top seed Alexander Zverev had aspirations of adding Wimbledon to his list of Grand Slam tournaments. Sadly, his hopes were dashed during the quarterfinals against American Taylor Fritz, who notably played an impressive match on the prestigious Centre Court.
Speaking after the win, Taylor Fritz shared his thoughts on Alexander Zverev's performance, mentioning that Zverev seemed to be dealing with some discomfort in the fifth set. Fritz expressed his sympathy for Zverev and noted how surreal it was to play on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
Though Zverev managed a 2:0 set lead against Fritz, injuries and a comeback by his opponent led to his early exit from the Wimbledon lawn tennis tournament, once again missing out on a chance to claim the elusive Grand Slam title.
Zverev's dreams of victories at Grand Slam tournaments, such as Wimbledon and the French Open, have yet to come to fruition. Although he has reached the finals of these prestigious events, the grass courts of Wimbledon have proven to be a challenge that has foiled his attempts at a Grand Slam title so far.
Despite the setback, Zverev's strong performance at Wimbledon showcased his potential in the tennis world, particularly on this challenging grass surface. As he continues in the competitive tennis circuit, many fans and spectators eagerly await his return to the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon in hope that he may one day fulfill his dream of claiming a Grand Slam title.
