When Alexander Zverev opened his 2026 season at the United Cup, few expected to see him lose his composure so early. But on a tense evening in Sydney, his frustration surfaced as Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz powered his way to victory with a relentless serve. Shortly after that, the German was seen venting his anger toward his father and coach, Alexander Sr.

“Why am I not serving?” the 28-year-old questioned. “No, he hasn’t played for two f–king years, and he’s serving at 230 km/h. In the evening, when it’s cold, f–k, it’s f–king crazy. The guy can barely f-cking walk, and he’s serving,” the world ranked 3 pointed.

Zverev suffered his first loss of the year in a straight-sets defeat to Hurkacz, falling 6-3, 6-4 at the United Cup. The German grew visibly frustrated as the match wore on, particularly with the Pole’s dominant serve, which he failed to break. During one changeover, Zverev openly displayed his irritation as Hurkacz continued to control the match from the baseline and behind his delivery.

Hurkacz, meanwhile, sent a strong message in his return to competition that lasted 1 hour and 24 minutes. The Polish star gave Poland a 1-0 lead in their Group F tie at Ken Rosewall Arena and flipped the script from their previous United Cup meeting.

Moreover, it was Hurkacz’s first match since June, following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in July 2025. The long absence caused his ranking to slide from a career-high No. 6 to No. 83, but his performance showed little rust. He stayed calm and efficient, facing just one break point throughout the match.

The decisive moment came at 3-3 in the second set, when Hurkacz ripped a backhand down the line to earn the crucial break. From there, he stayed composed and closed out the match, while Zverev’s frustration boiled over.

However, while questions have surfaced about Zverev’s form heading into 2026 after a disappointing previous season, the German appeared determined not to let the narrative define him.

Alexander Zverev fires back at critics over ‘Negative’ season

Ahead of his opening group match in Sydney, Alexander Zverev looked back on a 2025 season that still ended with him ranked world No. 3. With a smile, he admitted it was refreshing to hear someone describe his year as a good one, noting that the coverage, particularly in Germany, often painted a far more negative picture.

Zverev made it clear he feels his season was judged too harshly. While he accepts that criticism comes with high expectations, he believes much of the focus was placed on what he failed to achieve rather than what he managed to push through. “I have the feeling that many people have presented my season in a much more negative way than it really was,” he said, openly challenging the narrative surrounding his year.

There were moments of real promise in 2025. Zverev finally ended his losing streak against Daniil Medvedev and appeared to be building momentum heading into the Paris Masters, where his confidence was growing. However, that momentum vanished quickly. Less than 24 hours later, he suffered a heavy 6-0, 6-1 loss to Jannik Sinner, a result that immediately raised concerns beyond the scoreline.

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What stood out most was Alexander Zverev’s movement, which looked noticeably limited. He later confirmed the issue was serious, explaining that his right ankle had swollen badly. “Unfortunately, it swelled up a lot yesterday,” he said.

Zverev acknowledged how difficult it is to compete against players like Sinner without being fully fit. He explained that unless he is “100%,” beating the very best is nearly impossible, and injuries continued to disrupt his rhythm throughout the season.

Still, when he steps back and looks at the bigger picture, Zverev takes pride in finishing the year as world No. 3 despite everything his body endured. He also explained why tournaments like the United Cup matter to him, saying, “I need several matches before I feel completely comfortable on the court.”

That said, was Alexander Zverev’s frustration justified, or did Hubert Hurkacz simply outplay him on the night?