Nausea and Knee Slams: Zverev Battles Through to the Semis
Sickness and Knee-high Socks: Zverev Strives for Semifinals
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A tricky competitor and some physical hiccups: Despite it all, Alexander Zverev advances to the semifinals of the grass tournament in Halle. His next challenge is the "toughest" foe of his career: Russian Daniil Medvedev.
First, Zverev made a break for the bathroom to purge, then he smacked his left knee. But the star German tennis player at the ATP tournament in Halle/Westphalia pushed on undeterred. After a nail-biting 6:4, 7:6 (8:6) victory against the pesky Flavio Cobolli from Italy, he's now one step closer to the finals.
"At the start, I was feeling good, then suddenly I wasn't," Zverev shared post-match regarding the unexpected bouts in the first set: After nabbing his adversary's serve at the onset, he suddenly keeled over at the baseline in the second game, escaping to the bathroom at 40:40. "I haven't a clue what that was," Zverev shrugged, but he continued, "After that, it was all smooth sailing."
Sports So, what's next? Ready for Wimbledon? Zverev managed to brush off the upsets, even mocking the mishap when he whacked his left knee with his racket while attempting an overhead smash at 3:1. However, the contest was far from a cakewalk; Cobolli, who had claimed victories in Hamburg before the French Open, gave Zverev a run for his money, but failed to capitalize on his six break point opportunities.
Time for a Showdown with the "Toughest Opponent"
Following 1:41 hours of competition, Zverev sealed the deal on his second match point - he'll now take on an opponent on grass that he isn't particularly excited about facing. Zverev has a dismal record against Medvedev, having lost 12 out of 19 matches, including 11 of the previous 13. "He's one of the toughest opponents of my career," Zverev admitted about the man he's crossed paths with more than any other opponent, but he added with conviction, "I'm looking forward to it." The two last crossed swords in the semifinals of the Australian Open 2024, with Medvedev emerging victorious after overcoming an initial 0:2 deficit.
Sports Sinner Falls Victim to a Surprising Setback Zverev Exits the Match with Emotional Release The third-ranked Medvedev was the first to progress to the semis. He dominated Alex Michelsen from the USA 6:4, 6:3. He too needed a quick breather: At 3:1 in the second set, the Russian took refuge on a couch at the courtside to deal with a sudden nosebleed.
Zverev has competed in Halle for the ninth time, and for the third time he's poised to reach the final. He remains yet to clinch the tournament. In 2016, he fell to Florian Mayer in the final, and in 2017, he lost to Roger Federer.
Source: ntv.de, ses/sid
- Tennis
- Alexander Zverev
- Halle
Inside the Rivalry: Zverev vs. Medvedev
Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev have a longstanding and competitive rivalry in men's tennis, having locked horns several times across various tournaments and surfaces. As of mid-2025, their head-to-head record stands at 12 wins for Medvedev and 7 for Zverev[2][3][4].
Their battles primarily occur on hard courts and indoor courts, with Medvedev holding a slight advantage in their encounters on these surfaces. Interestingly, they have yet to contest a match on grass as of mid-2025[3]. Both players boast impressive careers, having reached their respective career-high rankings of World No. 1 and World No. 2[2].
Their Last Encounter: Australian Open 2024 Semifinals
Their most recent confrontation took place at the Australian Open semifinals on January 26, 2024, in Melbourne on a hard court. This was an intense and closely contested match, with the following scoreline:
- Daniil Medvedev defeated Alexander Zverev 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3.
Medvedev mounted a comeback from two sets down, showcasing resilience and mental fortitude to win the final three sets, including two tiebreaks, ultimately securing his place in the final[2][4].
A Look Ahead
- Total victories: Medvedev 12, Zverev 7.
- The future of their rivalry continues to captivate audiences, with their scheduled semifinal match-up at the Terra Wortmann Open (grass) in June 2025 promising to be a thrilling addition to their storied history[1][3][4].
I'm not going to be able to boast a good record against Daniil Medvedev in our upcoming tennis match, as I've lost 12 out of 19 matches we've played, including 11 of the previous 13. Despite this, I'm not going to shy away from the challenge and I'm looking forward to our grass court encounter, as we haven't contested a match on this surface yet.
