Tenacious Zverev Outplays Tactical Gameplay by Djokovic
Social Media Email Print Link Avoiding the Grand Slam: Zverev's French Open Downfall as He Falls to Djokovic
Under the lights at 11:51 PM, Alexander Zverev slumped his shoulders and walked to the net with a disheartened expression, his dream of a maiden Grand Slam title shattered by Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the French Open. A strong start was not enough as Zverev crumbled, losing 6:4, 3:6, 2:6, 4:6.
Zverev, the world No. 3, had a tough time in Paris this year, failing to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2020. Djokovic, on the other hand, has etched another part of his legendary career by advancing to the semifinals for the 13th time in his 21st Roland Garros tournament.
At 38 years old, the Serbian remains a force to be reckoned with, making him one of the oldest players ever to reach the semifinals at a major tournament. In the semifinals on Friday, he'll face Italian world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who recently beat Kazakh Alexander Bublik 6:1, 7:5, 6:0.
The Zverev vs Djokovic match had been set up as a tough one. But it was Zverev who made it a struggle. In the presence of a largely pro-Djokovic crowd, he got into a heated argument with the chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell, costing him some support. His passive play eventually cost him the break to trail 1:3.
Djokovic capitalized on Zverev's lackluster performance, rallying the crowd and taking advantage of Zverev's inconsistency. The match slipped away from Zverev, even in the third set, as he lost the break to trail 2:3, looking visibly frustrated. As Djokovic maintained his dominance, Zverev's apathy grew, ultimately resulting in a disappointing loss.
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Zverev's performance against Djokovic would have likely met a tougher challenge in the semifinals against Sinner or defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who play against each other on Friday. Djokovic, aware of the test ahead, is ready to face Sinner, stating, "With all his experience, he's a very tough opponent."
While Zverev tried to expect a "very tough match," he ultimately made it hard on himself. Had the match been against Sinner or Alcaraz, the outcome might have been even more daunting.
The only previous meeting between Zverev and Djokovic at the French Open was won by the Serbian in 2019. Their head-to-head record stands at 5-8 in favor of Djokovic. In the 2025 tournament, Zverev had a promising start, winning the first set 6-4. However, his inconsistency and Djokovic's resilience ultimately led to his undoing.
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A cool evening followed a chilly day as Zverev took to the open-roofed Court Philippe Chatrier, keen to go head-to-head with the 10-year-older Djokovic. Zverev started strong, breaking Djokovic's serve to take a 1-0 lead. The Serbian slowly found his rhythm, occasionally displaying his legendary skills, but Zverev remained composed.
A strong first set was sealed after 46 minutes, with Djokovic suffering his first set loss of the tournament. However, everything went awry for Zverev shortly after. He lost his rhythm, drew disputes with chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell, and played too passively to regain the break.
Djokovic seized the opportunity, rallying the crowd, and managing to level the set. The match began slipping away from Zverev as he lost the break to trail 2:3 in the third set. Frustrated, Zverev desperately called out to his team.
In the fourth set, the increasingly apathetic Zverev lost a break early, fought back, but missed his chance to break back in the highly contested sixth game. The match against the dominant Djokovic was ultimately slipping away from him.
Sources: ntv.de, dbe/sid | Zverev vs Djokovic 2023: No specific information found. For the 2025 French Open, refer to official tournament archives or sports news from that time.
Alexander Zverev Novak Djokovic French Open Tennis
- Alexander Vereev, who recently faced a disappointing Slam exit, could have potentially faced a challenging tennis match against Novak Djokovic at the French Open, had he made it to the semifinals.
- In the world of sports, Novak Djokovic's impressive tennis career continues to unfold, with his latest triumph coming at the French Open where he advanced to the semifinals for the 13th time, demonstrating his ongoing dominance in the sport.
