Alexander Zverev Criticizes Rio Open Balls Before Suffering Shock Quarterfinal Exit
Alexander Zverev made headlines at the Rio Open after criticizing the Wilson balls used at the tournament—just before suffering a surprising quarterfinal loss to world No. 86 Francisco Comesana.
On Friday, the top seed was stunned in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat, bringing an early end to his debut appearance at the ATP 500 event.
Zverev’s Struggles in Rio
Before his upset loss, Zverev had already faced difficulties in his earlier matches:
- Round of 32: Defeated Bu Yunchaokete 7-6(4), 6-4
- Round of 16: Edged past Alexander Shevchenko 7-6(1), 7-6(6)
After his tight victory over Shevchenko, the world No. 2 voiced concerns about the balls used in Rio, suggesting they contributed to his struggles.
“I’ve had some difficulties with the balls here. The Wilson balls tend to be flat, which isn’t good for my elbow,” Zverev said.
“This is another issue that players have been talking about a lot over the last year or two.”
His frustration with the conditions seemed to carry over into his quarterfinal match, where he was unable to close out Comesana despite being in a winning position.
Zverev Reflects on His Rio Experience
Despite the early exit and ball controversy, Zverev had positive things to say about the tournament itself.
“Better level than Buenos Aires but unfortunate to finish the tournament like this,” he admitted.
“I still enjoyed my time in Rio and hope to come back. It’s one of the most beautiful 500s that I’ve ever played. Shame because I was in a winning position.”
What’s Next for Zverev?
The three-time Grand Slam finalist now shifts his focus back to hard courts, as he prepares for the upcoming Indian Wells Masters.
So far in 2024, Zverev has excelled on hard courts, posting an 8-1 record on the surface:
- Won both of his United Cup matches
- Reached the Australian Open final, before falling to Jannik Sinner
With the Sunshine Double approaching, Zverev will aim to regain momentum and put his South American clay-court disappointments behind him.
