Despite being the top-seeded player, Alexander Zverev‘s run at the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 came to a quick end. The world No. 2 made his debut on Tuesday in the Round of 32 against Italian Matteo Berrettini, suffering an unexpected loss with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, which sent him out of contention and led to a candid admission.
“I thought my level was terrible, but that’s just my opinion,” Zverev admitted in the post-match press conference following his defeat in Monte-Carlo, as shared by the official ATP Tour website. “It’s been the worst period since my injury these last few months.”
Alexander reflected on his performance during the match against Berrettini. “I played a great first set, and once I got broken in the second set, I played 10 levels down,” he said. “My ball is much slower. I stop hitting the ball… So it’s me who lost the match, once again.”
The German star went on to explain that what happened on Tuesday wasn’t new to him, but rather part of a difficult stretch in his career. “The same story the last few months. Nothing changes,” he said. “I have not won many matches… It’s a matter of me losing. It’s as simple as that.”
Matteo Berrettini beat Alexander Zverev in Monte-Carlo.
Zverev reflects on his recent failures
The early exit in Monte-Carlo adds to the string of disappointments Alexander Zverev has experienced in recent months. After reaching the final of the Australian Open in late January, he has been far from his best level, as evidenced by his results.
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“You win one or two matches like this, there are no more questions, for me in my mind,” he explained. “But I lost three sets in Buenos Aires, I lost three sets in Rio, I lost three sets in Indian Wells, I lost three sets in Miami, I lost three sets here, and I didn’t win a single one. So that’s the issue.”
Zverev misses a golden opportunity
This dip in form came at the most inopportune time for Alexander Zverev. Just when Jannik Sinner was suspended for three months due to a doping ban and missed a significant portion of the season, the German star endured a series of disappointing performances that kept him from closing in on the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings.
Zverev will look to move past this tough stretch when he competes at the ATP 500 event in Munich, set to begin on Monday, April 14. With the support of his home crowd, the German star may be able to start his ascent back up the rankings and return to the form that led him to the No. 2 spot.
