Tournament off in Beijing: Working are greater: Zverev is still looking for its shape

After the re -set back on his arduous path back to the top form, Alexander Zverev first went to the diving station. No interviews, no social media posts, no reaction to the renewed bankruptcy against fear opponents Daniil Medvedev. The tennis fans, on the other hand, were less back on the Internet. The malicious core of most comments was analogously: Medvedev can still be so much out of shape – it is always enough for Zverev.

The quarter-final match of the old acquaintances at the ATP tournament in Beijing was also a kind of crisis duel. While the Russian Medvedev, who had always left in the first round in the last three Grand Slam tournaments, sensed morning air again due to the fifth victory in series against Zverev, the concerns of German number 1 have increased again.

The 28-year-old will use the involuntary days off until his next start at the Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai. And especially for regeneration. Because the stubborn back problems that have been creating him for months also accompany the Hamburgers in the Far East.

“It’s frustrating. I just get enough of it,” the Olympic champion from 2021 said after his hard -won round of 16 against the Frenchman Corentin Moutet about the physical complaints. It remained open whether and how his back influenced him against Medvedev. But the situation is definitely not optimal.

Especially when the surcharge and rotation movements, he felt limited, Zverev reported shortly before the tournament start. Since his early end at the US Open, he had hardly trained to be put in the back and protect himself. “Sometimes you have to take care of your body,” he explained.

Was jetlag a problem too?

But did he really do that so fully? After the US Open in New York, he flew to Europe for a few days and then jet to the American west coast in San Francisco for the show tournament Laver Cup. With two defeats in the luggage, we went east to Beijing again. He feels “tired”, he said before the tournament start: “My body doesn’t really know what time is, where I am or what I do.”

The opening victories against Lorenzo Sonego and Moutet obviously did not give him the hold and the strength he would have needed to win against Medwedew. With this form, he is miles away from his Grand Slam title-especially since he would have to beat the currently all outstanding exceptional artists Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

“I know that I can keep up with them at my highest level and definitely pose difficulties,” said Zverev: “But I have to get to my highest level.”

The Australian Open finalist as third does not have to worry about his start at the ATP finals of the eight best tennis players of the year in Turin in Turin. However, the fact that Zverev can triumph for the third time after 2018 and 2021 seems highly unlikely.

Zverev wants to have Toni Nadal at Australian Open

The fact that he is also ready to change to a certain extent showed him through the training work with Toni Nadal in Mallorca after his great Wimbledon disappointment.

Zverev would like to have the uncle and former successful coach of Tennis icon Rafael Nadal at the first Grand Slam tournament of the new year in Melbourne at his side: “I would like him to come to Australia with me.” But whether Toni Nadal extends his help is questionable. After the US Open you “didn’t see yourself,” said Zverev, “but we are in contact”.

His quarter -final opponents showed that it can go up again. “I played great and checked the game well,” said Medledew: “So I definitely improve and look forward to achieving more.” Sentences that the German tennis fans would like to hear from Zverev very soon.