Zverev laments missed opportunity for retribution and US Open final appearance
No US Open Victory for Zverev Again: Much like at Wimbledon, Zverev fails to clinch the title against Fritz at the US Open. The German tennis champion falls short in the quarterfinals, unable to keep pace with Fritz's intensity in the crucial moments.
Alexander Zverev gave it his all, but in the end, it wasn't enough. The German's dream of winning his first Grand Slam title remains elusive, as his journey in the US Open came to an end in the quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz. Zverev succumbed to the more energetic American 6:7 (2:7), 6:3, 4:6, 6:7 (3:7) after 3 hours and 26 minutes.
"I need to perform at my best," Zverev stated before the match, but in the rematch of the Wimbledon round of 16 that he lost dramatically to Fritz in five sets, the German struggled from the get-go. In many exchanges, he played too defensively in his debut on the massive Arthur Ashe Stadium, failing to exploit his opponent's weaknesses.
Fritz was the more aggressive player from the start, putting Zverev under pressure with solid returns. Zverev seemed defense-oriented in many exchanges, gained only a few free points, and struggled with his racket in the tiebreak that Fritz dominated. After 55 minutes, the first set was lost, despite nearly equal statistics.
Zverev seems to give up
"Fritz was well-prepared, had a good strategy," Boris Becker praised on sportdeutschland.tv, as the American remained the more aggressive player, while Zverev reacted. But he fought - and seized his chance when it suddenly presented itself: with the first break point of the match, he went up 5:3, eventually leveling the sets.
Was it a fluke? It seemed so, as Fritz broke in the second game of the third set, leading 3:0. But Zverev fought back. However, he couldn't make the most of Fritz's vulnerabilities. The American regrouped - and on Zverev's serve, he converted his fifth set point to take the lead. Not least because he acted more decisively.
Zverev seemed unable to find a solution in the fourth set, sometimes even appearing defeated. Becker repeatedly mentioned that Zverev lacked confidence, "the spark was missing," he criticized. Fritz, on the other hand, stuck to his plan and has now advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal.
In the US Open semifinals, however, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz will face off. The German duo overcame the Argentine veterans Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 6:7 (11:13), 6:4, 6:1 after a grueling first set. Their qualification to the final four marks their biggest Grand Slam achievement together, alongside their Wimbledon 2023 semifinal appearance.
Despite his best efforts, Alexander Zverev's tennis skills weren't enough to secure victory in the US Open, as he lost to Taylor Fritz in a close match. The quarterfinals defeat continues Zverev's struggle to win his first Grand Slam title in tennis.
Even on the massive Arthur Ashe Stadium, Fritz outplayed Zverev with his aggressive game, putting pressure on the German with solid returns and capitalizing on his opponent's mistakes.
