"A Tumultuous Triumph" Zverev Endures Challenges, Advances to Semifinals
Struggling through bouts of vomiting and wearing knee-highs on court, Zverev advances to the semifinals.
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A tough opponent and physical hurdles: Nevertheless, Alexander Zverev storms into the semifinals of the grass event in Halle. His next challenge is an arduous one: the formidable Russian Daniil Medvedev.
First, Zverev hurried to the restroom to be sick, then he struck his left knee. Yet, the top German tennis player at the ATP tournament in Halle/Westphalia pressed on, unfazed by these traumas: After a grueling 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) defeat of the unpleasant Flavio Cobolli from Italy, he has earned a place in the semifinals and will face the Russian Daniil Medvedev.
"I felt well at the outset, only to suddenly feel unwell," Zverev explained about the commotion in the first set: After breaking his opponent's serve at the beginning, he doubled over at the baseline at 40:40 in the second game - and dashed to the bathroom. "I'm not quite sure what happened," Zverev shrugged, but acknowledged, "After that, it was a pretty fierce match."
Sports Battle Intense Effort and Tiebreak in Halle At the conclusion of the match, Zverev unleashes a fierce scream
Zverev definitely recovered, saving a mishit overhead at 3:1, when he whacked his left knee with his racket, maintaining his stride with a grin. However, the match was far from easy: The nimble Cobolli, who triumphed in Hamburg before the French Open, proved adamant, but couldn't convert any of his six break points.
In 1 hour and 41 minutes, Zverev sealed the deal with his second match point – he will face an adversary on grass whom he isn't particularly fond of taking on. Zverev has a losing record against Medvedev, having lost 12 out of 19 matches, including 11 of the last 13. "He's one of the sternest opponents of my career," Zverev said about the man he has faced more than any other, but added, "I'm looking forward to it." They last met in the semifinals of the Australian Open 2024, where Medvedev came back from a 0:2 deficit to secure victory.
Sports Surprise Sinner Sustains a Grievous Injury Zverev Wins an Emotional Battle
The third-seeded Medvedev was the first to progress to the semifinals. He bested Alex Michelsen from the USA 6-4, 6-3. Incidentally, Medvedev had to step away for a moment: At 3:1 in the second set, the Russian collapsed on his courtside chair to manage a sudden nosebleed.
Zverev has competed in Halle eight times before, and three times, he has the opportunity to reach the final. He hasn't won the tournament yet. In 2016, he lost the final to Florian Mayer, and in 2017, he was defeated by Roger Federer.
Additional Information:
- Medvedev has defeated Zverev in the majority of their head-to-head encounters (12 wins out of 19 matches).
- They have never clashed on grass before the 2025 Terra Wortmann Open semifinal, held in Halle, Germany. Consequently, their grass-court head-to-head record remained unblemished (0-0) prior to the match.
- Their last encounter was the Australian Open 2024 semifinal on hardcourt, where Medvedev triumphed in a five-set thriller 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3.
- Zverev has obtained 24 career titles compared to Medvedev's 20.
In conclusion, Alexander Zverev finds himself trailing Daniil Medvedev 7-12 in their overall head-to-head but hasn't squared off against him on grass before their 2025 semifinal meeting at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, which marks the first grass-court clash between them in professional tennis.
[1] Sportskeeda. (2025, June 14). Zverev vs Medvedev Head to Head Record: Tennis Rivalry Stats, Matches Results, and Career Stats. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/zverev-vs-medvedev-head-to-head-record-tennis-rivalry-stats-matches-results-career-stats
[2] ATP World Tour. (2025). Alexander Zverev. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.atptour.com/player/alexander-zverev/334e/overview
[3] ATP World Tour. (2025). Daniil Medvedev. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.atptour.com/player/daniil-medvedev/335b/overview
[4] Sportskeeda. (2025, June 14). Alexander Zverev Stats: Tennis Records, Titles, Ranking, WTA, ATP, and more. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/alexander-zverev-stats-tennis-records-titles-ranking-wta-atp-and-more
- Tennis
- Alexander Zverev
- Halle
In the midst of his physical discomfort and adversity, Alexander Zverev expressed, "I'm not going to be able to do this," as he grappled with sickness and a knee injury during a tough match against Flavio Cobolli. Despite the challenges, he managed to maintain his composure and advance in the sports competition, this time turning to tennis on grass, where he will face Daniil Medvedev. Regrettably for Zverev, he holds a losing record against Medvedev in their head-to-head encounters, having lost 12 out of 19 matches, including 11 of the last 13.
