Alexander Zverev (26) missed the first Masters final after suffering a serious ankle injury. The Olympic tennis champion from Hamburg lost the semi-finals in Miami against Grigor Dimitrow 4:6, 7:6 (7:4), 4:6 and suffered his first defeat against the Bulgarian since the first duel almost ten years ago. Zverev had won all of the last seven games.
Zverev gave Dimitrow a close duel. In the first set he got the decisive break at 4:5 when he completely misjudged a return. However, the number five forced a third round, this time he lost his serve spectacularly in the seventh game: Dimitrow slipped at the net, but got the break with an overhead volley.
“I just didn’t give up any balls. I just thought: OK, I see the ball, I’ll run,” said Dimitrow: “It was a fight on both sides, we really fought after the first set.”
Dimitrow (32) will play for the title against Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner on Sunday. The veteran had already surprisingly beaten the Spanish Wimbledon and Indian Wells winner Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. Sinner (22) outclassed defending champion Daniil Medvedev (28) 6:1, 6:2 in the semifinals.
Published/Updated: Recommendations: 3 Published/Updated: Recommendations: 1 Pirmin Clossé Published/Updated:
Zverev’s last title on the top-class Masters series, which includes nine events, dates back to the summer of 2021, when Zverev triumphed in Cincinnati. In 2022, Zverev was seriously injured at the French Open and only returned to the tour at the beginning of the 2023 season.
Zverev now continues on the European clay courts – the goal: the Grand Slam highlight in Roland Garros from May 26th. In Paris, Zverev recently reached the semi-finals twice in a row, and sand is considered his strongest surface. On the way to the French Open, Zverev’s next stops are the tournaments in his adopted hometown of Monte Carlo and Munich.