ATP Monte-Carlo: Alexander Zverev - This is the way to "home win"
Alexander Zverev can go to the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo with legitimate hopes of his first success in the Principality.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Apr 09, 2022, 08:39 am
The traditional clay court tournament in the Monte Carlo Country Club also has the special feature that tennis professionals from different countries can still speak of a home tournament. Novak Djokovic, for example, was born in Belgrade but also has a residence in the Principality. Grigor Dimitrov also turned his back on his native Bulgaria years ago, and Monte Carlo has also cast a spell over him. Because of the usually nice weather, no question.
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Alexander Zverev is also known at the registration office on the Cote d'Azur, he has been one of the ranks of home sleepers in Monte Carlo for years. The German number one is very familiar with the conditions on site, but has not yet been able to pull off a really big coup in his previous appearances. Last year the second match against David Goffin ended, in 2019 Zverev lost to the later champion Fabio Fognini.
Zverev with a perfect record against Rublev
In 2018 it was enough to take part in the semifinals, but Zverev lost there to Kei Nishikori. The year before, Zverev had no assignment against Rafael Nadal. However, that will be missing in the current edition, which significantly increases the chances of all other participants.
Those from Zverev are basically not bad at all: The 24-year-old opens either against a qualifier or against Federico Delbonis. The Argentine can be extremely exhausting on ashes, Zverev won the two previous meetings in Geneva and Hamburg in 2019. Zverev has the same record against his likely third-round opponent Pablo Carreno Busta. Against whom there have only been duels on hard court so far. It looks even better for Zverev in a potential quarter-final against Andrey Rublev: The Russian has not yet won a single set against Alexander Zverev in five games!
Tsitsipas could wait in the semifinals
It could only get really hairy in the semi-finals. Because against the defending champion in Monte Carlo, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Zverev only won three out of nine games. Basically, the prospects are not bad. On the other hand, Alexander Zverev has already played at least three matches in the current season, which he would have easily brought to his side in top form: at the Australian Open against Denis Shapovalov, in Indian Wells against Tommy Paul and most recently in Miami against Casper Ruud.
Here the individual tableau in Monte Carlo
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