Alexander Zverev’s run at the Shanghai Masters ended with a surprise defeat on Saturday as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina overturned an early set loss to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. The Spaniard’s victory was only his second in eight meetings against the world number two.
Zverev, 29, arrived in Shanghai after a relentless schedule that included the US Open, Laver Cup, and Beijing Masters. The top seed admitted fatigue and minor injury affected his performance throughout the tournament. “I feel like I’ve actually, in a way, maybe overachieved this week because of how much tennis I played,” he said.
The match unravelled for Zverev in the second set when Davidovich Fokina landed a backhand passing shot on the run to break serve and take the semi-final to a deciding set. Zverev was broken again early in the third set, falling 2-0 behind and unable to regain control.
Despite winning the opening set, Zverev’s energy waned visibly. He said, “Even in the first set, even though I won the set, I was flatter; I was not reacting so well. I was returning quite badly.” The German added that since his fourth-round match against Alexander Bublik, which went to a third-set tie-break, his level had dropped. “I personally feel like I was quite flat since the Bublik match, because I was losing energy.”
The Shanghai Masters marks a rare stumble in what has been a strong season for Zverev. He secured his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June and followed it with a second at the US Open in September. His semi-final exit in Shanghai will be seen as a surprise given his form, but Zverev said he was content to lose to a player of Davidovich Fokina’s calibre. “I’m OK to lose to a player like this today,” he said.
Zverev’s workload has been relentless. “After the US Open, I had one day off in total,” he said. “I think I played a lot of tennis, which is very, very positive because that means I played well.” He emphasised the physical toll of the schedule: “First, I’m not a robot; I’m a human being. I get tired.”
Davidovich Fokina’s win sets up a final against fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal on Sunday. It will be Davidovich Fokina’s first ATP Masters 1000 final since 2022.
Zverev’s loss exposes the toll of a demanding season at the top of men’s tennis. His energy appeared drained during crucial moments, leaving openings that Davidovich Fokina exploited. The match highlighted the challenge of sustaining peak performance in a schedule that leaves little room for rest.
According to Joy Online.
