Sports — tennis

"Grand Slam setback for Zverev: Another sad chapter in his tournament history"

German tennis ace Alexander Zverev's bid for the US Open crown ends in the third round due to familiar mistakes.

, and Administrator

2025 September 11 . 4:01 PM

2 min read

"Disappointment at another Grand Slam: Zverev struggles in performance"

"Grand Slam setback for Zverev: Another sad chapter in his tournament history"

Alexander Zverev's Grand Slam woes continued as he lost in the third round of the US Open to Felix Auger-Aliassime. This marks Zverev's second major disappointment in two months, following his first-round exit at Wimbledon.

The match, which lasted a grueling 3 hours and 48 minutes, saw Zverev struggle with his forehand and backhand throughout. In a crucial moment, he had a set point in the second set tiebreak but failed to convert it, allowing Auger-Aliassime to level the set with a fortunate net cord.

Zverev's passive play in crucial moments was a tactical error that has been criticized for years. Despite training together in Mallorca, Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal's uncle and successful coach, did not travel with Zverev to the US Open. The future collaboration between Zverev and Toni Nadal remains uncertain.

In a show of frustration, Zverev angrily slammed his racket on the ground after making minor mistakes. Auger-Aliassime took the initiative in the match, ultimately securing the victory.

After the loss, Zverev described his year as "terrible" and the US Open didn't change that. He will next compete at the Laver Cup from September 19 to 21. However, his next Grand Slam tournament appearance will be delayed until the Australian Open 2022.

Interestingly, qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff went further than Zverev in the US Open, reaching the fourth round. Zverev has withdrawn from the Davis Cup with the German selection on September 12 and 13 in Tokyo, citing his back as a concern, but not as the reason for his loss.

Despite his struggles, Zverev remains the world number three. He is scheduled to return to the court on August 16 at the Cincinnati Open in Mason, USA. The US Open 2022 will be his next Grand Slam tournament, marking another opportunity for the German to break his recent Grand Slam jinx.