Alexander Zverev ‘s struggles continue to cast a shadow over his performance as the effects of his lost Australian Open final linger even a month later. Instead of capitalizing on the absence of doping-suspended Jannik Sinner to close the gap in the race for the top ranking, Zverev has suffered a string of defeats during his Latin America tour.
Having exited in the quarter-finals in both Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, Zverev failed to progress past the Round of 16 in Acapulco, where he faced a disappointing defeat against 19-year-old US qualifier Learner Tien, losing 3-6, 4-6. The Melbourne finalist appeared far from fit just a week ahead of the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells.
Zverev was not alone in his struggles at the Mexican tournament. He was joined by the other three top-seeded players, including Norway’s Casper Ruud and American Tommy Paul, who withdrew from their matches due to stomach issues. Meanwhile, Denmark’s Holger Rune retired against Brandon Nakashima from the USA after falling behind 0-3 in the first set.
In the coming months, Zverev has the potential to displace Sinner at the top of the ATP rankings. The Italian, who defeated Zverev in the Melbourne final in straight sets, denying the German his dream of a first Grand Slam title, is currently sidelined due to his agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and is not expected to return until the Masters 1000 event in Rome in May.
“Of course, that’s in my mind, but I’m trying not to think about it,” Zverev admitted after a challenging opening round win in Acapulco against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi. “I need to play good tennis and win some tournaments.” Currently, the world number two trails Sinner by over 3,000 points in the rankings.
However, based on his recent form, Zverev’s claim to the tennis throne appears tenuous at best.