Alexander Zverev claims he played better than Taylor Fritz as he gives the real reason he lost at the ATP Finals
Alexander Zverev stumbled for the fourth time this year against Taylor Fritz to suffer a painful semi-final exit at the ATP Finals.
Taylor Fritz made history as the first American to reach the ATP Finals championship match since James Blake in 2006.
His triumph over Alexander Zverev has means he reaches his fifth ATP final of an outstanding season.
Fritz’s victory wasn’t straightforward; he broke Zverev’s serve for the first time in Turin to take the opening set 6-3 but faced a spirited comeback as the German leveled in the second set.
Ultimately, Fritz held firm in a tense final set tie-break, showcasing his growing resilience under pressure.
The German entered the match on an eight-match winning streak after his Paris Masters victory, but Fritz once again proved his dominance, condemning Zverev to another loss after defeats at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Laver Cup.
Alexander Zverev gives real reason he lost to Taylor Fritz at ATP Finals
Zverev entered his semi-final clash at the ATP Finals in formidable form, riding a tidy streak, with commanding victories over Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, and Carlos Alcaraz – all of which came without the loss of a set.
However, the German stumbled once more against Fritz to deny him the chance for a third ATP Finals title.
Reflecting on his latest loss, Zverev said: “We can go match for match. US Open he played better than me, Laver Cup I was in hospital for two days before the match, here [ATP Finals] to be honest the second and third set I thought I played better than him,” the German said.
“I didn’t use my chances in the third set at all, I felt I had more than enough, and then played a below average tiebreak I would say. A lot worse than what the level was throughout the third set from my end.”
Indeed Zverev had ample opportunity to break throughout the third set. Fritz managed to hold from 0-40 down at 2-2 – a game that now looks to have proven pivotal.
The pressure is unfortunately only growing for Alexander Zverev
The weight of expectation continues to grow for Zverev, who faced yet another painful Grand Slam final defeat this year, this time losing from two sets to one up.
This heartbreak echoes his 2020 US Open final loss to Dominic Thiem, where he let a two-set lead slip.
Zverev might have hoped his moment would come in a year when Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal were less dominant, but Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz have stepped in to claim two majors each.
While Zverev’s hunger for a major title is evident, his loss to Fritz in the ATP Finals should not overshadow what has been a strong year.
He finishes 2024 ranked world number two, a testament to his consistency and promise despite these setbacks.
