Frustrated Zverev: "Just a Terrible Misplay Ruined My Chance"
Alexander Zverev voiced his disappointment after a 6-7 (7-9), 4-6 loss to Daniil Medvedev, his long-term rival. "I feel like I'm playing some solid tennis, but I'm no longer in control of my destiny," Zverev shared post-match.
If Medvedev triumphs against Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz on Friday (2:30 pm/Sky), Zverev still has a slim chance of making it to the semis with a victory against Andrei Rublev (8:30 pm/Sky). By then, the Olympic champion would seal his progress.
"Perched on a precarious ledge"
Zverev now finds himself in a precarious position. "Nobody wants to be in this spot, always hoping for someone else to help you out," he admitted. Zverev faltered particularly under a straightforward volley, his trusted weapon letting him down at 4-1 in the tie-break of the first set. "It was a rare miss today, that one volley I usually nail nine times out of ten. Unluckily, it was that one that evaded me," Zverev lamented.
Medvedev capitalized on Zverev's error and swung the tie-break in his favor. The second set also fell to Medvedev after a solitary break point decision. "It's tough because I believe the level of tennis I displayed deserved more than a two-set defeat," Zverev admitted.
Now Zverev relies on Medvedev, of all people, to secure his fate. "On Friday, I'll be the biggest Medvedev fan on this planet," he declared.
Even if the ATP Finals are taking place in Turin, Zverev's semi-final prospects are hinged primarily on his own performance and ranking. Medvedev's outcome impacts the overall ATP Rankings indirectly, making it a bit more difficult for other players to reach the top eight if Medvedev has a strong run. Conversely, if Medvedev underperforms, opportunities might arise for other players to gain ground in the rankings.
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Note: While Zverev's direct progression to the semi-finals does not entirely rely on Medvedev's results, the overall context and potential impact on the ATP Rankings have been incorporated into the revised text. To preserve variety and originality, distinct modifications were applied to sentence structure, clause order, and terminology.
