Zverev's Back Pain Returns in Quarterfinal Loss to Medvedev
Alexander Zverev's struggles against Daniil Medvedev continued as he suffered a quarterfinal loss in the Peking tennis tournament. The match ended in a straight sets defeat, lasting just over an hour and a half.
Zverev, who hasn't beaten Medvedev in over two years and has now lost five consecutive matches to him, seemed to be plagued by back pain once again. This issue has been affecting his form and fitness, as he complained about it the day before the match.
The German player received a warning for throwing his racket in frustration during the second set. Despite being successful at the net, Zverev was outplayed in baseline rallies. His forehand let him down, with too many unforced errors contributing to his loss. The match ended with a forehand error from Zverev, sealing his fate.
Zverev's loss to Medvedev means he misses out on the semifinals. The world number 18, Medvedev, despite having a relatively weak season, continues to dominate their head-to-head record. Zverev will need to address his back issues and improve his baseline game to turn the tide in their future encounters.
