After a strong start to the year, including his first Australian Open final appearance, Alexander Zverev’s 2025 season took an unexpected downturn—until the clay court swing began.
Zverev reached the Melbourne final in January but fell to Jannik Sinner in straight sets: 3-6, 6-7, 3-6. With Sinner later banned from competition, Zverev had a clear path to the No. 1 ATP ranking but failed to capitalize, suffering early exits in six consecutive tournaments despite being the top seed.
It wasn’t until his seventh tournament of the season in Munich that the German rediscovered his winning form.
“That Match Changed Everything” – Zverev on Beating Griekspoor in Munich
Speaking after a second-round win at the Madrid Open, Zverev reflected on the turning point of his year.
“I was struggling before Munich. That match against Tallon [Griekspoor] really changed things for me,” Zverev said. “Winning tournaments brings confidence—I really needed that.”
Zverev had previously lost to Griekspoor at Indian Wells but got his revenge in Munich en route to his third title there:
- 2025 Indian Wells 2R – Griekspoor def. Zverev: 4-6, 7-6, 7-6
- 2025 Munich QF – Zverev def. Griekspoor: 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
From there, Zverev defeated Fabian Marozsan and Ben Shelton to secure the title.
Zverev’s Path to the 2025 Munich Title:
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Final | Ben Shelton | 6-2, 6-4 |
| SF | Fabian Marozsan | 7-6, 6-3 |
| QF | Tallon Griekspoor | 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2R | Daniel Altmaier | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1R | Alexandre Muller | 6-4, 6-1 |
Madrid Open: Zverev Looks to Extend Dominance on Favorite Court
Zverev opened his 2025 Madrid Open campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Roberto Bautista Agut.
“It was a solid performance,” Zverev said post-match. “Roberto’s a great player, former top ten. I’m happy with how I handled it.”
He also praised the venue:
“This is my favorite Centre Court in the world. I’ve only lost twice here. Hopefully that record holds up over the next ten days.”
Zverev has an outstanding track record in Madrid, winning the tournament twice (2018, 2021) and boasting an 83% win rate at the event.
Zverev at Masters 1000 Events – Career Overview
| Tournament | Win % | Record | Best Result | Last Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid Open | 83% | 24–5 | Winner (2018, 2021) | 2024 – 4R |
| Italian Open | 80% | 24–6 | Winner (2017, 2024) | 2024 – Winner |
| Paris Masters | 74% | 17–6 | Winner (2024) | 2024 – Winner |
| Canadian Open | 71% | 12–5 | Winner (2017) | 2024 – QF |
| Shanghai Masters | 67% | 12–6 | Finalist | 2024 – 4R |
| Miami Open | 66% | 19–10 | Finalist | 2025 – 4R |
| Monte Carlo | 61% | 14–9 | SF | 2025 – 2R |
| Cincinnati Open | 60% | 12–8 | Winner (2021) | 2024 – SF |
| Indian Wells | 59% | 13–9 | QF | 2025 – 2R |
Madrid 2025: Zverev’s Projected Route to the Final
Should he keep winning, Zverev may face the following opponents:
- 3R – Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- 4R – Francisco Cerundolo
- QF – Andrey Rublev (Defending champion)
- SF – Taylor Fritz
- Final – Novak Djokovic
A potential final against Djokovic would mark their 14th career meeting.
But first, Zverev will need to get through Davidovich Fokina or Nuno Borges in Sunday’s third-round clash.
