Disappointed Alexander Zverev labels his loss to Holger Rune as the “worst match of all time”
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Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev’s truly awful season has continued, with the Olympic champion losing 6-3 6-2 in the Munich Open to Danish teenager Holger Rune. Zverev, a two-time winner of the tournament, earned a first-round bye as the top seed, but the world No.3 had no answers for the talented 18-year-old Rune, who is ranked No.70 in the world.
A stunned centre court could hardly believe how much he was dominated by the Dane, especially with drop shots. On Rune’s second match point, Zverev committed a slew of unforced errors en route to facing defeat in a little over 90 minutes.
“I would have lost against anyone in the main draw today”- Alexander Zverev
In his post-match press conference, Alexander Zverev stated that he would have lost to any player in the main draw. He also said that his performance against Rune was the worst he has had in the previous six or seven years. “That was bottomless of me. I would have lost to any player from the main draw today. That was my worst match in six or seven years. I played without a forehand today and overall such a performance is not enough in a 250 tournament,” Zverev said.
“There are no excuses,” Zverev said. “Anyone who finds excuses today is not the smartest person. How to proceed now? I will fly to Madrid sometime in the coming days. A Masters tournament will start there next week. In fact, it can only get better,” he added.
The 25-year-old also admitted to Eurosport that he had a cold, but claimed it had no bearing on his performance. He expressed regret for the spectators and the competition as a result of his early exit. “I was symptom-free. A little cold, but that had nothing to do with the performance. I can hardly speak now either. I feel sorry for the fans and the tournament.”
Alexander Zverev will next play in the Madrid Open
The Madrid Open, where Zverev is the defending champion, comes up next for him. Last year, the World No. 3 won the tournament by defeating Matteo Berrettini in the final. If Zverev is to defend his championship against the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, and Carlos Alcaraz, he will have to be at his utmost best.
Also Read: “Early birthday present” Holger Rune crushes Alexander Zverev to claim his first ATP Top-10 win
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Pritha Ghosh
(414 Articles Published)