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An Alexander Zverev Stumble And A Jannik Sinner Dance

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BY JAMES BECK

CHARLESTON, S.C. – – This Wimbledon men’s championship’s final score looked much closer than its final score.

One mere stumble in the third set might have been the difference in the match.

Alexander Zverev had his foot on the pedal chasing a ball behind the baseline when he lost his footage  and hit the grass as Jannik Sinner directed the ball to a soft shot near the other sideline. Zverev quickly grabbed his right knee as Sinner headed to his side.

SINNER COMES TO THE RESCUE

Sinner helped his opponent to his feet, and all of a sudden Zverev’s break point was now a deuce. Two shots later, the tall Italian had jumped ahead, 4-3, in his favor rather than Zverev’s.

The next point was just as wild as Zverev nailed an ace and appeared again ready to even the game score at  4-4 with a double game point. But two shots later, it was deuce and anybody’s game, even though Zverev was still alive in the game with his 130 mph serves. Zverev gained another ad-point, but then double-faulted his edge away. Two points later, Zverev was throwing his racket and looking at a 5-3 deficit in a third set that put Sinner within one set of winning a second straight Wimbledon title.

ZVEREV WILTS WITH SECOND-SET TIEBREAKER

The fourth set went rather quickly after Sinner took a 5-3 lead, and was headed to a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Zverev lost it with a second-set tiebreaker in which he won only two points. And for all practical purposes Sinner was in control, at least with those third-set scrambles by Zverev.

The biggest difference appeared to be Zverev’s inability to close important games the last three sets.

NEW YORK’S U.S. OPEN IS NEXT

Maybe things will change when the 2026 Grand Slams end in New York’s U.S. Open.

But right now it looks like there will be another Grand Slam title for the 24-year-old Sinner to add to his now total of five and go into next year with two titles each at three of the Grand Slams, leaving only the French Open without a title.

And, of course, the French has now become the 6-6 Zverev’s kingdom. After all, he’s five years older and three inches taller than Sinner.

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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award  for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.

Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev Power Into Munich Semifinals

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(by Florian Heer)

Top two seeds stay on course as Flavio Cobolli sets up clash with home favourite.

The top two seeds and last year’s finalists, Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton, continued their strong runs at the BMW Open by Bitpanda, both advancing to the semi-finals in Munich.

On a sunlit Friday at the MTTC Iphitos, Shelton came through a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash against João Fonseca of Brazil, battling to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory in front of a packed Center Court crowd.

The No. 2 seed of the ATP 500 event struck seven aces and won 84 per cent of his first-service points to prevail after one hour and 49 minutes.

“It was a much warmer day today with shorter rallies,” said Shelton, who enjoyed his first meeting with the 19-year-old Fonseca.

“He is an electric player, one of the rising stars on the tour. It’s a big match for him and there is a lot of excitement around him. He has many fans around the world, and I was looking forward to it, as it’s the type of atmosphere I like to play in. I’d love playing against him in Brazil one day. That’d be really cool.”

Molcan continues Munich run

The 23-year-old American advanced to the semi-finals of an ATP Tour event for the 14th time and will face Slovakian qualifier Alex Molcan on Saturday.

In a battle of left-handers, Molcan defeated Denis Shapovaolov of Canada 6-4, 6-4. The world No. 166 won 57 per cent of the total points played to succeed in 78 minutes.

“At the beginning of the week, I wasn’t even sure if I was getting into the tournament. I took a risk, I came here and made into the main draw,” said Molcan, who became the lowest-ranked Munich semi-finalist since world No. 186 Gerald Melzer in 2015.

“I am playing well. It feels unreal. The last two years were tough. I was struggling a lot. I had to undergo two surgeries, and it was a pretty dark tennis time for me, but I still believed that I could get back to some good level. Last year at this time I was playing Futures, now I am into the semis of an ATP 500. I don’t even know what to say. I am just proud of myself and my team,” the former top 40 player said.

Zverev overcomes Cerundolo

Earlier, top seed Zverev delighted his home crowd with a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 win over fifth favourite Francisco Cerundolo.

The 27-year-old Argentine overcame a slow start and a double break down to clinch the opening set in just under an hour of play, but Zverev got back on track immediately, taking the match to a decider only 20 minutes later. The world No. 3 from Germany was the more solid player during the longer rallies in the final set and secured victory in two hours and 15 minutes.

“I was 4-1 up in the first set but then he started playing and returning unbelievably,” Zverev said. “My first-serve percentage was very high, and I returned close to the baseline, so there was nothing I could do. I was happy with my level, even in the first set, and I am definitely happy to earn my first win over Francisco on clay.”

Zverev has now reached his fifth tour-level semi-final this season.

“The confidence is there, and maybe I’m staying a bit calmer in certain situations,” Zverev added. “This was probably my best clay-court match of the season so far. Things are moving in the right direction, and I’m very satisfied with myself.”

Cobolli eases past Kopriva

In his fifth Munich semi-final, Zverev will face Flavio Cobolli, who beat Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-2. The fourth-seeded Italian dominated the encounter from the outset, breaking his opponent’s serve four times to advance in one hour and 26 minutes.

“It wasn’t easy at all today. We fought for every point. It is always a pleasure to play against him, as he is also a nice guy,” said Cobolli after his first win over Kopriva in the pair’s third meeting, their first on the ATP Tour.

“I played a good match and was positive on court today. I also remained focused in the second set, which can be a problem for me sometimes. The sun came out today and I like to play in these conditions. Now I have to think about the semi-finals, which will be another big match.”

Alexander Zverev at the BMW Open in Munich courtesy of the BMW Open by Bitpanda

Alexander Zverev Cruises Into BMW Open By Bitpanda Quarterfinals

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(by Florian Heer)

The to seed shines in straight sets win over Gabriel Diallo.

The sun finally broke through in Munich, providing ideal conditions for the final second-round matches on Thursday at the BMW Open by Bitpanda. The improved weather also suited top seed Alexander Zverev, who delivered a composed straight-sets victory over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo to book his place in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 event.

Zverev, who played on a packed Center Court in front of several Bayern Munich players as well as his entire family, dominated the encounter from the outset. The 28-year-old German won 83 per cent of his first-service points, saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on five of his eight break-point chances to advance in one hour and 13 minutes.

“It was much more straightforward than in the first match,” said Zverev. “I think he had some issues with his back and wasn’t serving fully in the second set anymore. Very unfortunate, but of course I am happy with the win and getting an easier match today.”

The three-time BMW Open by Bitpanda champion was not only pleased with his own performance, but also with his favourite football club Bayern Munich, who beat Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening.

“It was an amazing win yesterday; I was there watching. I took the kids down to the locker room afterwards and they were so nice to them. It was a great experience,” Zverev said.

Cerundolo in cruise mode

Up next for Zverev will be fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo. The 27-year-old Argentine cruised past two-time Munich finalist Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands 6-3, 6-0 in just 64 minutes.

“I wasn’t in a hurry, but it’s always nice to win fast to save energy for tomorrow when I have to play again,” Cerundolo said with a smile after his tenth win on clay this season. “I played well from the baseline. I probably didn’t serve well in the first set, but it got better in the second. I am trying to improve every day.”

The world No. 19 has now reached back-to-back quarterfinals in Munich and feels comfortable in the conditions.

“I like the conditions here,” he said. “The clay is similar to the one in Argentina. It feels like home. There is a bit of altitude, but I am comfortable on this surface. My tennis is good and I hope I can keep going.”

Zverev leads their head-to-head record 4-3, having won the last four encounters — all on hard courts.

“I have never beaten him on clay, which is his favourite surface, but I am definitely looking forward to the challenge,” Zverev said ahead of his eighth quarterfinal appearance in Munich. “I am very happy to be at this stage, facing a tough opponent. That’s what it’s going to be tomorrow.”

Molcan masters Altmaier

In the bottom half of the draw, qualifier Alex Molcan continued his impressive run at the BMW Open by Bitpanda with his fourth consecutive win this week. The 28-year-old Slovak edged home favourite Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 7-6(10).

Molcan withstood six aces and broke Altmaier’s serve once to prevail in one hour and 43 minutes.

“It means everything. I cannot be happier or prouder of myself that I have reached the quarterfinals here,” Molcan said.

The world No. 166, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 38 in May 2022, endured a difficult period marked by wrist and knee injuries that both required surgery two years ago. Since then, the left-hander has mainly competed on the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF World Tennis Tour, winning five titles across those circuits last season.

“It’s been a long time since I played at this level. I don’t want to say that I am back, but it’s great to feel the emotions and the crowd again. Competing against the best players and even winning matches motivates me a lot,” Molcan said.

“We both served well and I only broke him once in the first set. It was not easy to return. I had to fight mentally in the tie-break because it was so close. I saved two set points and, in the end, I am just happy.”

Molcan will next face Denis Shapovalov of Canada, who beat Fabian Marozsan from Hungary 7-6(4), 6-2 in one hour and 25 minutes to reach his first quarterfinal on clay since the 2022 Rome Masters.

Allianz Para Trophy kicks off

Meanwhile, the Allianz Para Trophy has also kicked off in Munich – now upgraded to a 500-level tournament – featuring competition in both the Open and Quad divisions.

“We are very proud to be a partner and to promote not only the sport, but also equality and to provide the athletes with a bigger stage,” said Manuel Duhnke, Head of Sponsoring at Allianz Germany.

The initiative is clearly resonating. Wheelchair tennis continues to grow rapidly worldwide, yet Munich stands out on the international stage. “Compared to other tournaments, everything here is very professional – just like at the ATP event,” said world No. 1 in the Quad Division, Niels Vink. The Dutchman, who lost both legs and several bones in his hands due to illness, has already achieved a remarkable career Golden Slam at a young age, winning all four majors and Paralympic gold.

There were also positive words from Gustavo Fernández, world No. 4 in the Open Division: “Of course we are here to win the tournament, but above all we want to put on a great show for the fans.”

Alexander Zverev at the BMW Open by Bitpanda

Fonseca Shines In Munich Debut As Zverev Survives BMW Open Test

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Release (by Florian Heer)

Fonseca Shines on Debut as Zverev Survives Munich Test
Brazilian teenager impresses in cold conditions, while defending champion battles through and Molcan stuns Bublik at the BMW Open by Bitpanda.
João Fonseca enjoyed a successful debut at the BMW Open by Bitpanda as he claimed a first-round victory on a chilly Tuesday in Munich. With temperatures failing to rise above 10 degrees Celsius (50 °F) at the MTTC Iphitos, the conditions were far from ideal for South Americans, yet Fonseca set the tone early in the day by defeating Alejandro Tabilo in the opening match.
In the pair’s third tour meeting, Fonseca earned his first victory over the Chilean. Supported by many Brazilian fans on Center Court, the 19-year-old from Rio de Janeiro capitalized on three of his seven break-point chances to secure a 7-6(1), 6-3 victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
“I think that I haven’t played in that cold before,” Fonseca said with a smile during his post-match on-court interview. “But it’s great to see so many Brazilian flags here. I am very thankful to be here. I hope they will all be back for the second round.”
Up next for Fonseca will be seventh-seeded Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech.

Zverev battles past Kecmanovic
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev started his title defence with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(2) victory over Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia, who had beaten the German earlier in the season in Acapulco. In front of his home crowd, Zverev was a set and a break up but had to fight hard as Kecmanovic improved the longer the match lasted. However, a solid tie-break in the final set helped the top seed close out the match with his 12th ace.
“I was serving poorly the entire match and gave him a lot of looks on my second serve,” Zverev said. “At some point he was playing like a wall, wasn’t missing. The temperatures today didn’t help to play an aggressive style of tennis. It was tough to hit a winner but, in the end, I won and that’s the most important thing.”
Zverev will next take on Gabriel Diallo of Canada.
“He is a massive server,” the three-time Munich champion said of his upcoming opponent. “We are at altitude, which helps the servers, but in these temperatures I don’t know. He had a great first round, which he won quite comfortably. I am expecting a tough match.”
Elsewhere, fourth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli defeated German qualifier Diego Dedura, who earned his first tour-level main draw victory last year in Munich. The Italian won 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 26 minutes.
“It was a very good experience, even though it was a tough draw having to face the world No. 16 right away. But that’s the level here — this is an ATP 500 tournament, not kindergarten. Overall, I’m satisfied with my performance, and now I’m looking ahead to the coming weeks,” said Dedura, who will next compete in the qualifying of the ATP Masters in Madrid.
In the second round of the BMW Open by Bitpanda, Cobolli will face Belgian Zizou Bergs, who was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over German lucky loser Marko Topo.

Molcan masters Bublik
The upset of the day was delivered by world No. 166 Alex Molcan. The 28-year-old Slovakian qualifier knocked out No. 3 seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2. Molcan converted four of his nine break-point chances and won 59 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and five minutes.
“I am happy to be back at these kinds of tournaments. I always play better at this level than at Challenger events,” said the former top-40 player, who had to deal with injuries and underwent two surgeries in recent years.
“I lost my first set in the opening round of qualifying 6-0 when I was struggling with the conditions here, but then I just found myself, my game, and I improved match by match. Today I was focused during the whole match. I didn’t want to do anything extraordinary on the court. It was a good performance. I am healthy enough to play and just glad to be here. I just try to enjoy the game, and it works.”
Molcan will next play Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, who cruised past Croatian veteran Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-3 in 69 minutes.

Players enjoy their special night
Glitz, glamour and, of course, the stars of the BMW Open by Bitpanda — Monday evening’s Players Night at the Golden Racket Club by Käfer was a resounding success.
Spotted on the red carpet were top players of the tournament, including defending champion Alexander Zverev, American Ben Shelton, Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli. Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas also made sure to attend the Players Night during his Munich debut. With great live music and plenty of good vibes, the celebrations continued late into the night.

Novak Djokovic Hints at 2025 Retirement Following Australian Open Exit

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Retirement might be closer than expected for Novak Djokovic.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner went on an impressive run to make it to the semi-finals of the Australian Open. But after losing a first set tiebreak against Alexander Zverev, Djokovic made the call to retire mid-match.

It came as a shock to fans in the stadium, leading to many of them booing the Serb as he exited the court, a scene that Djokovic fans have become all too familiar with over the years.

Despite all he’s given to the sport, Djokovic has never quite been able to escape accusations of “faking” injuries that have plagued him his entire career — and it certainly isn’t going to change now at 37 years of age.

The truth is that the potential of this happening was always on the table heading into the semi-final. After all, the Serb has been struggling with injuries for a while now, pulling out of both the 2024 French Open and ATP Finals due to injury last year.

During his presser after his AO semi-final exit, Djokovic set the record straight:

  • Confirmed he’s struggling with an upper-leg muscle tear that’s more painful than 2 years ago
  • The injury was sustained during his epic quarter-final match against Alvarez just a few days before
  • “I want to keep going.” — but no guarantee he will return for next year’s #AusOpen

If Djokovic wanted to avoid adding fuel to the fire of a potential retirement, this definitely wasn’t the way to do it. But based on his age, recent injuries, and persistent retirement hints, it’s starting to feel like 2025 could turn out to be Novak’s last full season on the court.

Will Djokovic Retire in 2025?

According to the leading betting tipsters on the BettingTools website, Novak Djokovic is unlikely to retire in 2025. Instead, his retirement will probably be in 2026 or 2027. Djokovic will remain focused on winning his elusive 25th Grand Slam for now, having gone 2024 without winning any major title at all.

What is clear to see with Djokovic, though, is that his career is now in decline and the curtain will soon be closed forever on the ‘Big Four’ era.

It started with Andy Murray, who was never the same post-2016 due to injuries. Then it was Roger Federer, with the Swiss legend’s persistent knee problem forcing him into retirement. And then (most recently) there was Rafael Nadal, whose body gave up and made it impossible for him to continue competing at the highest level.

The common thread amongst all of them is that years of playing elite-level tennis finally broke them down. As we see all too often, it typically starts just before the mid-30s and then eventually forces a retirement relatively soon after, even if you’re able to somehow keep going for a few more years. But once the decline has officially started, there’s no stopping it.

Djokovic himself will be more aware of this than anyone. Let’s not forget that 2024 was the first year since 2017 that he won zero slams, which is the greatest indicator of all that father time is coming. Ironically, Novak’s actual father is said to be pushing his son to retire, with Novak recently confirming this:

“I don’t know if he’s going to be happy with me saying this, but my dad has been trying to retire me for a while now. He understands why i keep going, but he’s like: ‘What else do you want to do’”

When you’re no longer consistently winning slams, keep picking up injuries that take twice as long to recover from, and your own family is pushing you to call it a day, it’s only a matter of time before retirement actually happens.

But what’s fascinating about Novak Djokovic is that he’s only just beaten Carlos Alcaraz, one of the world’s best young players. And even fans of tennis who don’t particularly like Djokovic will have to admit that he’s one of the most gritty and resilient players of all time, which is why he’s still playing at the top level. So if anyone is going to silence the critics and win at least one more Grand Slam before hanging it up, it’s Novak.

No Decision Made on Andy Murray Coaching Partnership

After Andy Murray retired from tennis, it came as a surprise to everyone when it was announced he was taking a surprise coaching role in Djokovic’s team. The two have always had a great relationship, though, so it did make sense (despite Murray’s obvious lack of experience when it comes to the coaching side of the game). But following Djokovic’s frustrating exit from the 2025 Australian Open, there’s no guarantee that this new coaching partnership will continue:

“I don’t know. We both were disappointed with what just happened, so we didn’t talk about future steps,” the 10-time Australian Winner said. “I think we both need to cool off a bit and then we’ll have a chat.”

The partnership between the two tennis icons was originally supposed to only be for the Australian Open, with the general belief being that it would continue if the tournament was a success. What’s clear is that Murray is on an unspoken trial with Novak’s camp and will only be kept on if it’s to the genuine benefit of the Serb potentially winning his 25th Grand Slam title.

What’s Next for Djokovic?

It’s not known for certain how long Djokovic’s injury will last. Despite this, there’s no doubt he will be back soon, likely within the next month or two. As long as Novak can stay injury-free, he will definitely push for the three remaining Grand Slams this year: the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Whether Andy Murray will be part of this remains to be seen. And regarding a potential return to the Australian Open next year, Djokovic claims he’ll be back as long as he can stay “fit, healthy, and motivated”. At least for now, Djokovic fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Jannik Sinner Stays True To Form In Winning Australian Open Title

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BY JAMES BECK

Men’s tennis is different, of course. At least, they were in this year’s Australian Open.

Who would have believed that Aryna Sabalenka would have crumbled in the face of competition from what had been regarded as something of a has-been star, Madison Keys. Or that Iga Swiatek would have fallen the same way.

The two top women in the world beaten by the same player?

But Jannik Sinner would have none of that. Tall, but two inches shorter than his opponent, German Alexander Zverev who is great at making Grand Slam finals.

SINNER IN CONTROL

Sinner easily was the class of the men’s game Down Under. Novak Djokovic was something of a threat after the easy elimination of top threat Carlos Alcaraz. Of course, Novak seemed to be using some tactics of his own to keep Alcaraz guessing in the quarterfinals.

Then 10-time Australian Open champion Djokovic pulled a surprise of his own by retiring after dropping the first set to Zverev in the semifinals.

Sinner must have just been watching from the dressing room, saying to the other threats — Djokovic, Alcaraz and Zverev – what’s up guys?

He found out when Alcaraz lost his way against Djokovic and then Novak followed by losing his way against Zverev.

FALLING BY THE WAYSIDE

Those things looked like great breaks for Zverev. And they were.

Sinner must have been guessing, maybe it was his time to wilt in the face of a strong opponent for another Australian Open title.

Of course, everyone else that Sinner faced had been eliminated in four three-set matches or two four-set matches. The tall German just waited for his time to fold against Sinner’s brilliance.

Short or long rallies didn’t matter. Sinner had the answer.

SINNER TURNED ON HIS OWN PRESSURE

As things turned out, Sinner was never under real pressure. He just turned on his own steam that was as hot as a pressure cooker as he easily marched to his second consecutive Australian Open crown and third Grand Slam title.

Sinner was almost impeccable in his play against Zverev. Sinner had to survive a second-set tiebreaker and a pair of 6-3 sets against  Zverev to once again show off the talent of the world’s best men’s tennis player.

At one time, Zverev spent most of his time between sets beating up a spare racket.

It was that bad, or maybe Sinner was just too good.

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James Beck (843-795-3584, h), (843-412-3765, c)

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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award  for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.

See his latest columns on all of the Grand Slams at ubitennis.net/author/james-beck or worldtennismagazine.com

Beck writes for USTA Southern. See his latest article at https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/southern/wilmington-s-scott-receives-pro-of-the-year-award.html#tab=tournaments.

We Asked ChatGPT To Write A Story On The Jannik Sinner – Alexander Zverev Australian Open Final – How Many Gross Errors Can You Find?

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Following Jannik Sinner’s 2025 Australian Open final round win over Alexander Zverev we asked ChatGPT to write a story about the final as a test. Here’s what was spit back out at us. How many gross errors can you find???? (Not hard)

Jannik Sinner Triumphs Over Alexander Zverev to Win 2025 Australian Open Title

Melbourne, Australia – Jannik Sinner etched his name into tennis history on Sunday night, defeating Alexander Zverev in a thrilling final to claim the 2025 Australian Open championship. The 23-year-old Italian delivered a masterclass performance, winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena.

This marks Sinner’s maiden Grand Slam title, fulfilling the promise of a player long considered one of tennis’s brightest stars. His victory also makes him the first Italian man to win the Australian Open, a feat celebrated by his passionate supporters both in Melbourne and back home in Italy.

“I can’t describe this feeling,” Sinner said during the trophy ceremony. “It’s been a dream of mine since I started playing tennis, and to do it here in Australia, in front of such an incredible crowd, is unbelievable.”

The match showcased the best of modern tennis, with both players displaying breathtaking shot-making, resilience, and tactical prowess. Zverev, the 2020 US Open champion, fought valiantly throughout the contest, using his powerful serve and baseline game to stay in the hunt.

After splitting the first two sets, the third proved to be the turning point. With the score tied at 5-5, Sinner broke Zverev’s serve with a stunning backhand winner and held his nerve to clinch the set.

In the fourth, Sinner elevated his level, using his impeccable movement and aggressive groundstrokes to put Zverev under relentless pressure. The German, visibly fatigued, couldn’t recover as Sinner secured a decisive break to seal the victory.

The win caps a remarkable journey for Sinner, who has steadily risen through the ranks with his calm demeanor and relentless work ethic. Often lauded for his maturity and composure on the court, Sinner’s triumph is seen as the culmination of years of hard work and dedication.

Zverev, gracious in defeat, praised his opponent during the post-match interview. “Jannik played an incredible match,” he said. “He deserves this title, and I’m sure it’s the first of many for him.”

With this victory, Sinner is expected to climb to a career-high No. 2 in the ATP rankings, further solidifying his place among the sport’s elite.

For tennis fans, the match served as a showcase of the sport’s bright future, with Sinner and Zverev leading a new generation of stars. As Sinner hoisted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, the tennis world celebrated the arrival of a new Grand Slam champion—and perhaps the beginning of a dominant era for the young Italian.

Rafael Nadal Likely Never To Return To The French Championships After Loss To Alexander Zverev

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Rafael Nadal’s amazing French Open career very likely came to an end as the 14-time champion suffered his first ever opening-round-defeat on Monday, losing to Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in one of the most anticipated first round matches in Grand Slam history.

The 27-year-old German became the first man to defeat Nadal before the fourth round at Roland-Garros and joined Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic as the third man to defeat Nadal on the Parisian clay.

“To be honest I don’t know what to say,” Zverev said on court after his win, before handing the mic to the Spanish legend. “First of all, thank you Rafa, from all of the tennis world. It’s such a great honour. I’ve watched Rafa play all my childhood, and I was lucky enough to play Rafa when I became a pro, I was lucky enough to play him two times on this beautiful court.”

“Today is not my moment, it’s Rafa’s moment,” Zverev added.

Nadal, ranked No. 275 at the moment but using a No. 9 protected ranking to gain entry into the event, had never played Roland-Garros unseeded. He had also never lost consecutive matches on his beloved clay, but Zverev changed all that with a command performance.

“It’s true that the first round has not been an ideal one,” Nadal said after the match. “I had my chances but it was not enough against a great player like Sascha.”

As soon as the draw was made, the talk of the red dirt major was this highly-anticipated showdown since the Spaniard legend has indicated on multiple occasions that this year is likely to be his last season competing on the professional tennis circuit.

Zverev’s aggressive play set the tone in the first set. The two-time ATP Finals champion took the action to his opponent, hitting 15 winners compared to five for Nadal in the opener.

Nadal faced two break points early in the second set to fall into a deep deficit despite that chants of “Rafa! Rafa!” were heard in and outside the stadium. After digging out of trouble, he conjured memories of his very best tennis to claim a service break and lead by 3-2.

But his rival responded quickly with another break before claiming a tense tiebreak to take a two-set lead.

After Nadal missed a final shot on match point, Zverev gave a muted celebration out of respect for the 22-time major champion. They enjoyed a warm greeting at the net.

“The amount of feelings that I had on this amazing court during all my tennis career is just unbelievable,” Nadal said. “I never dreamed I would be here at almost 38 years old, with all the success I had here, winning so many times – it is something that I never dreamt of.

“For me, it’s difficult to say what will happen in the future. It’s a big percentage that I won’t be back at Roland-Garros, but I can’t say 100 per cent. I enjoy playing here, I like travelling with the family, and my body is feeling a little bit better than it did two months ago.”

Following the match, Nadal said it was doubtful he would make a return trip to Wimbledon, choosing to potentially play in the Olympics back at Roland Garros this summer, where he again can use his No. 9 protected ranking to gain entry and also potentially play doubles with his Spanish heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal has also been announced as a player on Team Europe at the Laver Cup in September.

Alexander Zverev Partners With Fungiball

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Fungiball, the innovative NFT card game platform, is proud to announce the integration of Alexander Zverev, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, into its digital universe. Starting Friday, May 24, fans can discover and acquire the first ten NFT cards representing the skills of this tennis prodigy during an exclusive sale.

Fungiball is a game that combines a passion for tennis with blockchain technology, offering NFT cards that represent one of four specific tennis skills: Power, Serve, Return, and Mental. These skills are evaluated weekly based on the players’ real-life performances, with scores ranging from 0 to 100. Each player’s skill is available in three levels of rarity: Unique, Gold, and Silver, allowing for a diverse and valuable collection.


Alexander Zverev started playing tennis at the age of five and has overcome the challenges associated with his type 1 diabetes to become one of the most respected players on the international circuit. His foundation, launched in 2022, illustrates his commitment to humanitarian causes alongside his sports career, helping children with diabetes.

Introducing Zverev into the game enriches Fungiball with an athlete whose caliber and courage inspire.
“The arrival of Alexander is a significant milestone for our platform. He embodies the values of perseverance and excellence that we aim to promote through our NFT cards,” explains Jean Matias, CEO of Fungiball.


The first exclusive sale will take place on Friday, May 24, and will include eight cards: 4 Gold and 4 Silver, with two cards for each specific skill (Power, Serve, Return, and Mental). All tennis fans, gamers, and technology enthusiasts are invited to join this celebration by exploring the new cards available from their launch. They may also win numerous cash prizes reserved for the different winners of the weekly competitions. Stay tuned for online events and special promotions available on https://www.fungiball.io/,
Discord, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

About Fungiball:
Fungiball is an NFT card game platform that combines a passion for tennis and blockchain technology to create an interactive and rewarding experience for users. With a catalog of over 300 professional players, we continue to revolutionize the way fans interact with their favorite sport.


About Alexander Zverev:
Born on April 20, 1997, in Hamburg, Alexander Zverev is a German tennis player who turned professional in 2013. He reached the world No. 2 ranking on June 13, 2022, and is currently ranked No. 5 by the ATP. Winner of five Masters 1000 titles and the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2021, Zverev is a remarkable athlete and a model of resilience for many. His foundation, the Alexander Zverev Foundation, supports children with diabetes and provides medication to those living in developing countries.

Alexander Zverev Wins Chengdu Open In China

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In a thrilling final match played out in front of a capacity crowd, tournament number one seed and world No. 10 Alexander Zverev survived a robust challenge from Roman Safiullin to win 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in two hours and 59 minutes and lift the 21st ATP Tour-level title of his career.

The German was made to work hard for the win, with Safiullin showing incredible composure and grit to save break points in vital moments to keep the former world No. 3 at bay in the first set. The world No. 55 Safiullin then got an early mini-break to race to a 3-0 lead in the tie-break, before securing two more mini-breaks in the final two points to take a one set lead.

In the second set, the two players exchanged breaks in the second and third games, before holding serve strongly until a pulsating tie-break, in which neither player could capitalise on their service points. Three mini-breaks each were traded before Zverev scored the telling mini-break at 6-5 up to force a deciding set.

The German’s far greater experience of playing big finals began to show in the third set, as the 26-year-old appeared more relaxed while mistakes began creeping into Safiullin’s game, allowing Zverev to secure the necessary break in the fourth game that would seal his first Chengdu Open crown.

“He’s playing the best tennis of his life and he’s beaten a lot of great players this week, so I knew he was playing well. I’m happy to have been able to come back and win this title. This week has been amazing and it’s even better that I won the title,” said Zverev, who paid tribute to the throngs of fans that turned up throughout the week to watch him play.

“I feel like I always have a lot of fans in China and I feel Chinese people are very giving, they always bring gifts and give something in return for pictures and autographs, so that is very nice of them. I have never been here before so I didn’t know what to expect coming here, but it has surprised me in a nice way to see so many fans,” added the 26-year-old German, who will solidify his position at No. 7 in the Race to Turin with the 250 points picked up here today.

In a similarly electrifying finale to the doubles, top seeded French tandem Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul reversed a one set deficit to overcome second seeded Portuguese-Brazilian duo Francisco Cabral and Rafael Matos 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 in one hour and 51 minutes.

Cabral and Matos notched four points in a row against serve in the ninth game to secure the first break of the encounter, going 5-4 up and securing the first set in the next game. However, Doumbia and Reboul returned the favour in the second set, taking four points on the trot at 6-5 up against serve to force a super tiebreaker.

In the super tiebreaker, the Portuguese-Brazilian twosome seemed to have the upper hand when they went one mini-break up to take a 7-5 lead, but the French pair rallied instantly, upping their game to take five points on the trot and secure the unforgettable victory.

The pair have won 15 challenger titles and nine ITF Tour titles since teaming up in 2015, but the Chengdu Open title is their maiden Tour-level triumph as a pair, as well as individuals.

“We have been waiting for this moment for such a long time. We have won Challengers before, but it was a big goal for us to win an ATP Tour event. To do it here in China is special – it’s amazing for us,” said the 33-year-old Doumbia.

“I’m very happy to share this title with Sadio. We started playing doubles full time two or three years ago and we have been working hard every day to win these kinds of matches. We are very happy and hopefully we will win a lot of titles,” said the 28-year-old Reboul.

The duo credited their strong performance this week to feeling comfortable and at home in Chengdu, with Reboul adding: “I would say what is important is to feel good in a place. We have always felt very good here because the people are very nice. We were very excited to come back to China. I think when you feel at home, you can play your best tennis.”

The tournament is owned by IMG and is organised by the Chinese Tennis Association and Chengdu Municipal Government, is co-organised by Chengdu Sports Bureau, Shuangliu District Government and Chengdu Culture Tourism Group, and is promoted by Sichuan Investment International Tennis Centre Development Co., Ltd., CCTV IMG (Beijing) Sports Management Co. Ltd. and WME IMG China Culture Development Co. Ltd.

The Chengdu Open is also very proud to have the support of our distinguished partners, including the ATP Tour’s Premier Partner Emirates, the official ball and stringer Yonex, the official car FAW-Volkswagen, the Sichuan Tennis International Hotel, which is conveniently located adjacent to the courts and provides efficient services to the tournament, the official timer Luminox, the official player hotel Intercontinental Chengdu Global Center, the official coffee provider Wood & Coffee, the official gym equipment Impulse and the official water Su Lao Quan. The official tournament website www.ChengduOpenTennis.com has additional information about the tournament

Alexander Zverev