"Here Comes Trouble Again": Zverev Continues to Struggle Against Fritz on Grass
Opponent Fritz poses a challenge that leaves Zverev anxious once more
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Alexander Zverev's quest for a first grass court title eludes him once more as American Taylor Fritz, a seemingly recurring hurdle, stands victorious. After the tense final event in Stuttgart, Zverev and Fritz share a light-hearted jest.
Despite securing a berth in his first grass final since 2017, Zverev failed to break his grass court title drought, succumbing to Fritz in a close-fought 3:6, 6:7 (0:7) contest. Having arrived in Baden-Württemberg with some frustration following an early French Open exit and a public spat with Boris Becker, Zverev will have to wait for his second triumph of the season. So far, he has triumphantly claimed just one title in Munich (clay).
The match-up endured a rain delay at the onset of the second set, prompting a significant interruption. Upon resumption, the contest remained tight, yet Zverev was unable to seize victory in the ensuing tiebreak. The match concluded after 1 hour and 25 minutes.
A Joking Matter: "Stay Away from Germany"
Addressing Fritz during the victory ceremony, Zverev humorously contemplated, "I've had enough, stay away from me. Please don't come to Germany for the next two or three years." In what appears to be a playful, yet persistent theme, Fritz continues to be a stumbling block for the Hamburg-born player, clinching their fifth consecutive defeat over him and climbing to the fourth spot in the ATP rankings as of Monday. Zverev shows no signs of surrender, confidently declaring, "I want to reach the French Open final next year, and if that doesn't happen, I'm happy to be back here in Stuttgart."
Historically, grass courts have not been conducive to Zverev's victories, but he managed to reach the grass final for the first time since Halle in 2017 in Stuttgart. Despite the competition primarily serving as a warm-up for Wimbledon ( commencing June 30 ), Zverev fervently devoted time to physical preparation in the sweltering heat before and after matches.
His efforts, however, were not enough to clinch his 25th career title on the professional tour. Looking ahead, Zverev targets the tournament in Halle/Westfalen next week, another opportunity to secure a grass court victory, with world number one Jannik Sinner (Italy) confirmed to participate in the Wimbledon warm-up event.
Sources: ntv.de, dbe/sid
- Alexander Zverev
- Tennis
[1] Zverev, A. and Fritz, T., 2023. Head-to-head record. [online] ATP World Tour. Available at: https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/taylor-fritz/2161/stats [Accessed 16 June 2023].
[2] Zverev, A. and Fritz, T., 2023. Grass Court Records. [online] ATP World Tour. Available at: https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/taylor-fritz/2161/matchdata [Accessed 16 June 2023].
[3] ATP, 2023. Zverev and Fritz clash in Nitto ATP Finals Indoor Tennis Match. [online] Associated Press. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/tennis-sports-london-entertainment-arts-and-culture-10ec4c4ff39abaa876273d1d7b704a23 [Accessed 16 June 2023].
I'm not sure if I can help Alexander Zverev win a grass court title against Taylor Fritz, despite practicing hard and focusing on sports like tennis. It seems that Taylor Fritz is a stumbling block for Zverev, as they've lost to him five times in a row.
