ATP: Anger, pain and frustration in Acapulco – Zverev fails in semi-final at del Potro

Alexander Zverev missed the final of the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Acapulco. Born in Hamburg, he lost Juan Martin del Potro in two sets.

Painful night session for Alexander Zverev in Acapulco: The German on his left knee was beaten 4:6 and 2:6 on the Mexican Pacific coast against the US Open winner of 2009. It was the second defeat in the second comparison with the South American.

First the bat flew, then the patella tendon twitched – early in the match it had been suggested that “Sascha” Zverev would not leave the place today as the winner. The fifth in the world rankings dropped his serve to zero and let the physio come in at 1:2.

Equipped with a thick tape bandage underneath the left knee, Zverev continued to work for Zverev, although the Argentinean set the accent. With a lot of backhand slice and his dreaded forehand,”Delpo” took the lead after 46 minutes.

Zverev’s mood did not improve in the second act either. After another early break, the 20-year-old had to take another early break, he smashed his tool furiously on the dark blue hard court. Del Potro, who had eliminated Zverev’s older brother Mischa in round one and Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals, came back into the fray.

At a score of 2:3, Zverev suddenly had the chance to re-break, but a wrong decision by the line staff took the wind out of his sails. It came as it had to: after Del Potro had taken the double break, he turned his second match point after 91 minutes.

In the final, del Potro will face Kevin Anderson. The South African beat Jared Donaldson from the USA 6-3,4-6 and 6-3 in the first semi-final of the day.