Alexander Zverev was on a terrific 12-match winning streak until he was stopped by Daniil Medvedev in the Rolex Paris Masters 2020 final. The German took a bold lead in the match but dropped two straight sets to suffer defeat. Did lack of fitness cause Zverev the championship? Here’s what he said after the loss. 

“I have some strange pain in my thigh. I have to check what it is. It didn’t feel good at the end. That wasn’t the reason I lost – I was also tired today,” Zverev mentioned. This raises massive concern regarding his fitness levels which might have interfered with his confidence during the match.

After edging past and taking the lead in the first set, Zverev failed to hold on to it, which allowed Medvedev to capitalize and race to victory. It is a shame because the German was brilliant in the semi-final against Rafael Nadal when he cruised past the Spaniard in straight sets. 

Even though Zverev enjoyed a hot streak, his durability over recent times has decreased. The 23-year-old faced several health problems at French Open 2020 which restrained him from giving 100%. 

Also Read: Alexander Zverev Unveils How David Ferrer’s Influence Helped Him Reach Maiden Rolex Paris Masters Finals

Alexander Zverev has a message for his critics 

A lot seems to be going on in Alexander Zverev’s life at the moment. Recent personal controversies have stirred up media attention, and the finals loss is certainly a tough pill to swallow. 

However, one can always expect Zverev to handle them with control whatsoever. After his loss in the Paris Bercy finals, the German sent out a reply to his adverse critics on how he deals with setbacks in his personal as well as professional life. 

“I know that there’s gonna be a lot of people that right now are trying to wipe a smile off my face but under this mask I’m smiling brightly. I feel incredible on court […] everything is great in my life. The people who are trying can keep trying,” said Zverev. 

There are testing times ahead for the Next-Gen star as the Nitto ATP Finals 2020 will be his next destination. The prestigious tournament has the round-robin locked in, with Zverev being one of the eight contenders. But what does the thigh injury mean for the 2019 semi-finalist? 

Also Read: “Was Complaining To My Wife”: Daniil Medvedev Wasn’t Confident of Winning Rolex Paris Masters